


Falling For the Prey

by Amariahellcat



Series: Willow Shepard [3]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Reapers, Biotic Shepard (Mass Effect), Cat and Mouse, Cerberus being Cerberus, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Fluff, No Keprals, No angst here, Sexual Roleplay, Shepard Cousins, Smut, Soft Ending, Sort Of, Thane is the Assassin Willow is the Target, Valentine's Day, Willow is being Cured, background shakarian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-06 07:00:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13405917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amariahellcat/pseuds/Amariahellcat
Summary: Willow Shepard is an N7, ex-Alliance, and a C-Sec Detective. She’s first in line for the developing cure for AEND, and damn good at her job... so when she’s given a datapad filled with unsolved cases from ten years prior, she digs right in.Thane Krios is the first drell to have a successful lung transplant and beat Keprals, a good father - and an elite assassin only ever known by an alias, a ghost in the shadows. No hit is to difficult - though when he’s approached by Cerberus to take down both Commander Arisa Shepard and her cousin, Willow, he know’s he’ll need to do his research.Problem is... the more research he does, the more he finds himself intrigued by this intelligent woman, despite her own investigations into his previous hits.He’s broken his own rule, and is falling for his prey.Eventual Thane x Willow, No Reaper AU, Very very AU I’m not kidding.





	1. Officer and Assassin

**Author's Note:**

> ...hi guys. Guess what. Another Thane x Willow idea bit me in the ass. And what started out as an idea for a short oneshot has exploded into a chaptered fic. Bah. I give up. And all I can do is thank @kittenkakt and @lynngo-art for brainstorming with me and putting up with my babbling about this fic the last couple days.
> 
> I mostly know where this is going? But we’ll see what happens. Enjoy? ♥

**Willow - Citadel**

 

The day starts off like any other: her alarm goes off at 05:00 local Citadel time, pulsing bright lights and blaring obnoxious pop music, making her grumble and roll reluctantly out of bed.

Willow lets the music keep playing as she pads quickly to the bathroom, the cold tile waking her up as she scrubs her face and brushes her teeth - runs her brush through her hair and swears she’ll get a haircut,  _soon_ , the copper strands well past her shoulders now.

She rubs in moisturizer, makes faces in the mirror, then heads back to the bedroom, old N7 t-shirt pulled off and tossed into the hamper as she moves, pulling on clean underwear and socks.

Her C-Sec uniform is yanked on in several practiced motions - vest snapped on, pistol holstered, boots laced and making her steps sound like a march - before she heads back to the bathroom, tugs her hair up into a high ponytail, squints blue eyes at herself, then heads out.

The Citadel is still recovering from Saren and his Geth, but two months later, things are  _slowly_  returning to normal - her favorite coffee shop is still open, at least, and she stops in as she always does, grabbing a coffee to go and sipping at it on the way.

Bailey’s on a call when she steps into C-Sec, so Willow just waves and heads to her own desk, logging in and scanning her work email for anything new.

Surprisingly, it’s clear - as is her desk - so she takes the moment to log into her personal mail, opening the message she’d heard beep in on her way to work.

 _An update from Arisa,_  she muses, scanning over the contents, lips twitching with a sigh,  _Ah, all good news. Awesome. Great start to a Monday._

Arisa Shepard - her cousin, and now Commander of the SSV Normandy - had been the one to finally bring down Saren and his Geth army. She’d done a number of other things, as well, but that was the one currently earning her publicity.

She was also an N7, a Spectre, and a powerful biotic - not to mention the Commander of an incredibly loyal, rag-tag crew.

 _Garrus is staying on the Normandy,_  Arisa had written, and Willow can almost  _hear_  the happiness in her cousins words,  _He’s been accepted as a Spectre Candidate, and the Council is just deciding if I’m ‘the right choice’ for his mentor or if they’re going to choose someone else. For now, at least, he’s staying with us._

_Hope all’s well at work - keep me updated on the treatment, I want to know the **second**  you’re scheduled in for it! And  **take your meds**! I know they’re a pain, but they’re meant to  **help**._

_Don’t work too hard._

_Love, Arisa_

_Oops_. Willow winces guiltily, opening her drawer and pulling out the little bottle of pills she keeps there  _just_  for that very reason,  _She knows me way to well._

The treatment - the  _cure_ , really - for her AEND is being developed, and should be ready within the year… but the supplements  _did_  help, when she remembered to take them.

 _Bottoms up_. Two pills downed with a mouthful of coffee, Willow grimaces, typing out a quick response and looking up when a shadow falls over her desk, lips twitching.

“Morning, Bailey. All quiet?”

“So far it has been, surprisingly. Let’s not jinx it.” her boss chuckles, holds out a datapad, “No new investigations right now, and we’ve got enough staff out patrolling - thought you might want to have a look at this.”

Willow takes the datapad and opens the first page, eyebrows lifting, “Unsolved cases?”

“A specific batch of unsolved cases - I stumbled on this archive a few days ago, thought it was right up your alley.” Bailey’s smirk is knowing, “About ten years ago, a bunch of really,  _really_  bad people were found dead. No hints as to the method or the reason, and clearly the work of a professional. The main suspect was a  _drell_ , but no leads were ever found.”

“And you think I can solve them?” Willow scrolls through the first couple of pages, biting her lip, “Ten years is a long time, Bailey - even if I  _do_  find them, then what?”

“We’ll figure that out if you manage to ID the killer.” Bailey pauses, watching her, “Of course, if any current investigations pop up, those will be priority. Just thought you’d like something to keep you occupied in between.”

“For sure, Bailey. I’ll get right on it.”

“Any news on when your treatments going to be ready?”

“Not yet; I’ll keep you updated.”

“Sounds like a plan. Let me know if you find any leads, Willow.”

Willow’s to busy reading through the intros to the file to notice him go, devouring the information greedily.

 _All of these people were nasty pieces of work - it’s almost like the killer was cleaning house. Hmm._  Willow smirks, setting the datapad down and rolling her shoulders, closing down her email and opening her security programs,  _Alright, we’ve got a mystery on our hands. Let’s see if we can’t crack it._

 

 

* * *

 

**Thane - Illium**

 

Thane’s vid comm beeps at exactly 07:00, as he’d known it would - one did not acquire his contact information without going through a rigorous system of tests.

The callers that made it through were, thus, the ones most willing to work for his time.

His system has already run several scans and decryptions on the call before it had made it this far, testing for bugs, trackers, or virus’, any possible security breaches or attempts at revealing him.

The call is flagged as clear, but Thane still takes the usual precautions; has a second barrier in front of the screen even though his side will only broadcast voice, has his voice-changer active, stands off to the side where  _he_  can see the caller but, if they’ve somehow snuck a program through his scans, they won’t be able to see him even if they activate it.

By the time this call makes it through, Thane knows who it is, and he finds himself vaguely surprised; the man isn’t one he’d have expected to have need of a drell assassin.

“Illusive Man.” he greets as it goes active, examining the figure on the screen - as average a human as could be, were it not for the blue glow of his eyes.

 _“Kiron Tien.”_  the human greets in turn, taking a drag off what Thane identifies as a  _cigarette_  before nodding to the screen,  _“A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. Getting through to you was no simple task.”_

Thane allows himself a smirk, folding his arms comfortably behind his back, “That is the point, sir. Clearly, you persisted.”

_“I did.”_

“What need do you have of me?”

The man takes another drag off his cigarette - Thane can nearly smell the putrid aroma, pushing back memories of previous hits that had  _stunk_  of the drug - before smirking  _“I have a rather important person that I need taken care of. Two people, actually. You’ve heard of Commander Shepard?”_

Thane stirs at the name, blinking both sets of lids. “I have.” he acquiesces, allowing no emotion to enter his words, “She is hailed by many as a hero.”

_Defender of the Citadel. Destroyer of Saren and the Geth. The First Human Spectre. Hmm._

_“That she is - and were she content to remain as such, I would have no qualms. As it stands, she is a threat.”_  the Illusive Man takes another drag, scowls,  _“She has begun investigating Cerberus, and I simply can’t have that - we have to many plans, to allow her to continue unchecked. With your reputation and skill set, I thought you the perfect choice.”_

“You mentioned that there was a second target.” Thane inquires, thinking. Never has it been his way to question his targets - he has spared maybe two, in all of his years, when he had found them to be the complete opposite of his employers descriptions  - but he knows he will need to research the Commander himself.

_“Ah, yes - I need her cousin, Willow Shepard, taken out as well.”_

“Is she a member of the Commander’s crew?”

_“No, my sources say she’s currently working as a C-Sec Detective on the Citadel. She’s a former N7 herself, and she helps the Commander investigate leads and crimes - she’s nearly as dangerous as the Commander.”_

_“ **And** ,” _the man’s smirk is near feral, and Thane tenses automatically,  _“My sources **also**  say that Officer Shepard is currently investigating several crimes that took place on the Citadel roughly ten years ago - unsolved murders, as it were.”_

 _That_  catches his attention, once more forcing memories away -  _ten years ago. And here I’d believed I was free of those days._

Whatever her intention, Officer Shepard was endangering  _him_  - and that would need to be rectified.

“Your targets are not run of the mill.” he says, voice as even as ever, “Surely you realize this will cost you.”

_“Money isn’t an issue - name your price, Tien.”_

“I’ll need to research the targets before I can determine that, as is always my policy.” Thane’s hand hovers over the  _end_  button, strangely eager to be done with the call, “I warn you, this may take months. I never act without being thoroughly prepared.”

_“Understood.  Contact me when you’ve decided on the price. Good hunting, Tien.”_

Thane ends the call then, and counts to 60 under his breath before shutting down the machines, ensuring everything is locked down and secured before leaving the room and exiting the building.

Thane weaves his way easily through the back alleys of Illium - familiar after two years of using them - leaving the haggard warehouse his command-centre is located in and quickly making his way home.

No one pays him any mind - he’s sure to stick to the shadows, keep out of sight - and he steps into his apartment and immediately locks the doors, doing a quick scan of the space before moving further in.

It’s a bachelor apartment - the perfect amount of space, and no extra rooms for enemies to hide in. It’s also the only thing still registered under his  _previous_  alias -  _Lekat Yook_  - and the timing of this assignment couldn’t be better.

His omni is dialing as he gathers his weapons together - guns and clothes are the only personal effects in the apartment, and most of the latter he’ll be leaving - call connecting just as he zips up the duffel he’d shoved them in.

 _“Father,”_ comes Kolyat’s sleepy voice,  _“Is everything alright?”_

“I’m coming to the Citadel.” Thane hoists the duffel over his shoulder, gives the apartment one last check, then nods and strides out the door, “I’ll be arriving in roughly twenty-four hours. Is it alright if I stay with you?”

 _“Of course.”_  Kolyat sounds more awake now, and Thane can hear the rustle of sheets through the comm,  _“For work?”_

“Hmm.” Thane answers, which Kolyat will understand means  _yes_ , “It’s been some time since I visited - two years, I believe - I’m sorry I haven’t been back since.”

 _“It’s okay.”_  Kolyat yawns, and Thane knows he’s not lying for his benefit - he’s kept in touch as much as possible, only living away so that his son wouldn’t be directly involved with his work,  _“How are the lungs? Still working fine?”_

“More than fine; I am stronger than ever.” Thane traces a finger down his chest out of habit - over where he knows the line of uneven scales is, the one imperfection in the pattern - “The Kepral’s is gone, and I am healed. You need not worry, Kolyat.”

_“Pft. Yeah, okay. Let me know when you’re getting in. Maybe we can go for dinner or breakfast or something, whenever you get here?”_

“I’d like that. I will message you once I am on the Citadel.”

_“Okay. Bye, Father. Be safe.”_

“You as well, my son.”

Thane closes the comm just as an explosion rings out from the building behind him, destroying the apartment and  _Lekat Yook_  with it.

 _No loose ends. Now._ Thane steps out into the main streets of Illium, disappearing into the crowd,  _To get to the Citadel, and begin the Game._

_First priority; profiling Officer Willow Shepard._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! Seriously let me know if this is even interesting omg ;;;;;


	2. The Game Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow’s already digging in to her investigations. Someone’s following her, and she’s on high alert, but she takes a break to visit the local Duct Rats - the kids she takes care of, as much as she can.
> 
> Thane makes it to the Citadel and sets up operations, beginning the hunt - and finding his target to be a much different person then expected.
> 
> Minor angst this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, when an idea takes hold, I write! Enjoy guys ♥

**Willow - Tuesday - 05:00**

The next morning echoes every other morning - jolted from sleep by high-pitched ‘singing’, woken up by the bathroom tiles and cold water against her face, uniform secured with a  _snap_  and a  _click_  - except for the datapad she makes sure to snatch from her bedside table once her hair’s pulled back, eyes glued to it as she lets the door lock behind her.

The unsolved cases have her intrigued - and more then a little curious.  _Bailey said the suspect was a drell, and that no other clues had ever been found… yet the descriptions given in every rundown are different._

It had been a frustrating roadblock the night before, and she’d stayed up way later then she should have trying to puzzle through it - in the end tossing the datapad on her nightstand and passing out, grumbling in annoyance.

 _I’m going to need the security footage from those dates,_  Willow muses, approaching the front cash of Zakera Cafe and quirking a grin when the asari behind the counter has her coffee ready, nodding her thanks,  _Hopefully my VI was able to pull them all over night - and hopefully none of them were damaged by Saren and his damn Geth._

Willow steps out of line and tilts the travel cup back to take a long sip, pausing when a flash of colour catches her eye.

 _Green and blue._  She makes herself inconspicuous, scrolls through the datapad and sips her coffee, cautiously eyeing the corner booth of the Cafe.

Two drell sit conversing casually, the spreads before them suggesting they’ve stopped in for an early breakfast - male, going by the more subtle frills, and while she’ll be the first to admit she hasn’t dealt with many drell, their similar facial features would suggest they’re related.

The younger of the two is teal with red frills, digging in to his food and pausing occasionally to speak, animated in a quiet sort of way.

The elder is a vivid green with deep crimson frills -  _do they get darker as they age? Hmm_  - wearing the clothes of a traveler, slumped comfortably in his seat with his legs crossed at the ankles, sipping at what seems to be a cup of tea, if the bag hanging from the cup is any indication.

 _It’s not creepy if I’m a cop._  She shushes the little voice that tries to chide her for watching,  _Strange, to see drell on the Citadel - most don’t leave Kahje. Hmm…_

What are the odds, really, of there suddenly being two drell in her favorite cafe, when she’s just begun a murder investigation involving a drell?  _Coincidence? Or…?_

“You are looking for a new job, then?”

Willow blinks herself out of her thoughts, listening intently now - it had been the older drell speaking, voice a deep baritone with the unique double-vocals that all drell possess, a near rumble that she briefly finds herself appreciating.

“I am, yes. Too many ridiculous requests.” the younger drell’s voice is higher, less mature, a note of  _youth_  in it that pins him at about eighteen, maybe, “I’m not a people person, father. You know this.”

“To true. They were not making proper use of your skills there, anyways.” the older chuckles, and Willow leaves it at that, taking another sip of her coffee as she slips out through the crowd and strides away from the cafe.

 _Just a coincidence._  She tells herself, waving the datapad at Bailey as she passes him and settles in at her desk,  _They’re just civilians, nothing more. Hopefully the kid finds a better job. Now then…_

Willow palms the DNA lock on her terminal and grins at the screens that jump up to greet her,  _excitement_  rising at the chime from her VI.

_All requested files recovered. No damaged files detected. Quality has been boosted as per request._

“Excellent.” she mumbles, minimizing all but the  _oldest_  of the files - and opening the datapad to the first of the unsolved cases. “Time to work.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Willow - Thursday - 05:00**

Over a week later, the next Thursday, Willow takes the extra time to pack a bag; it’s the same bag she packs every second Thursday, filled with rations and water bottles and some small treats, a couple of blank datapads and feminine products.

It’s her day off, but she’s still in her C-Sec uniform, preferring caution over comfort when she’s headed into the back alleys.

Willow’s humming as she works, zipping the bag up only to pause when her omni beeps twice - the tones specifying one email from Arisa and one from Bailey.

She opens Bailey’s first, relieved by the single paragraph -  _Willow, going to look into hiring some new recruits. If you have any candidates, let me know; one will probably get assigned to you._

Simple and to the point, nothing urgent, and she types off a quick  _I’ll let you know_ as she shoulders the bag and steps out of the apartment.

Then Willow clicks on Arisa’s and pauses, staring at the words.

_Cerberus is up to something; we’re both targets. Watch your back and keep me updated._

Willow unconsciously steps back, pressing herself to the wall and just listening for a moment, senses on high alert.

_The usual morning sounds - people going to work, traffic in the skycar lanes, advertisements booting up when they detect a life-form - nothing out of the ordinary._

She forces herself to move normally - to head out to the Cafe to grab coffee and donuts, walking casually through the morning crowds, gripping tight to the strap of her bag and keeping her eyes peeled for anything off.

She’s a cop, and a former N7 - she’s dealt with sneak attacks before. But something about Arisa’s curt wording has her thinking that it’s  _serious_ , this time.

_Keep an eye out, be smart, call for backup if you need it._

It’s not a long trek to the entrance of the back alleys, but her necks prickling as she reaches it, feeling as though there’s  _eyes_  on her back, staring her down.

Mouse is at his usual terminal, typing away - but he looks up from his work at the sound of her footsteps, giving a half grin and lifting his hand in greeting.

Willow’s about to do the same when the eyes seem to move, gaze snapping to the right to follow the feeling and  _watching_ , wary, for any hint of movement,  _anything_  to hint that she’s not being paranoid.

There’s nothing, and she forces herself to  _breathe_ , to relax and turn back to Mouse, faking a grin.

“Everything uh, okay, Shepard?” the former duct rat glances behind her, looking confused and cautious.

“Yeah, all’s good. Just being paranoid.” Willow brushes off the feeling and grins, heading for the small alley behind him, “The usuals around?”

“Pft, of course, Shepard; they know your schedule.”

“Hah, okay. Make sure you come grab a donut before they all get eaten.”

Willow doesn’t hear his response as she slips into the alley and strolls easily through the narrow path, stepping over the occasional debris or discarded trash, following the dim yellow light at the end.

It’s a path she’s walked constantly since she’d started at C-Sec, every two weeks when she’d gotten paid and had the day off - a path she’s taken since stumbling across it that first time.

Willow squints as she exits into the space, blinking to adjust to the sudden bright lighting - but she’s smiling despite the pain when excited voices start calling, heading in her direction.

“Miss Willow’s back!”

“Hi Miss Willow!”

“Miss Willow!”

It’s a chorus of small voices singing some variation of her name, and she laughs when there’s weight suddenly attached to each of her legs, grinning down at the kids as her vision adjusts.

“Hey, kids.” she says, glancing around at the group, “Anything new?”

“Miss Willow! Look!” one of the two girls attached to her legs pulls back to show her something - a polished stone by the looks of it, attached to a broken piece of gold chain - grinning toothily, “Look what I found in the ducts yesterday! Isn’t it pretty??”

“ _Very_  pretty, Meaghen.  _But_.” Willow purses her lips, does her best to look stern but not angry, “That looks like something from the Silversun Strip, near the casino. You know how dangerous the ducts are, down there.”

“I was careful!”

“Alright. Come on, guys, I’ve got donuts and rations for you - let me do a headcount.”

There’s a quiet cheer, and one of the older kids takes the box to start distributing them, leaving Willow to stay back with the younger ones and watch.

Most of the duct rats are human, and her little group only has two turians - Meera and Case, siblings who’d been abandoned on the station in their infancy. Meaghen and Rina are the youngest girls at roughly 6 and 7, Charlie and Matthew are in the middle at about 10 and 12, and Danielle and Taylor are about 16, the de facto ‘leaders’.

Mouse is more a handler then anything else - 18 and smart, working the bigger crowds now that he’s too big to be a duct rat - a fate she see’s Taylor heading for soon, considering how tall he’s gotten just in the time she’s known them.

Even as she kneels to start going through her bag, she glances at Taylor handing out the donuts and calls “The blue ones at the back are Dextro - not for greedy little Levo fingers!”

“Thank you, Shepard!” Meera and Case call back in response, and she resumes digging through her bags, humming as she works.

She’s not really sure  _how_  she ended up playing role-model to this group of kids, but she could never regret it; Bailey sends her anytime a call has to do with the duct rats, now, and it’s kept the kids from getting into any major trouble the last couple of years.

“Okay, let’s see… ration bars and water bottles for everyone, should be enough to last for a couple of weeks - I managed to find some cupcakes for you and Rina, Meaghan, shh.”

The girls giggle happily, already reaching for the treats, “Thank you Miss Willow!”

“You’re welcome. Okay, what else… oh, Danielle! C’mere, hun.”

Danielle’s getting to the point where she won’t be able to fit in the ducts much longer as well - tall and willowy from living off what she can scrounge, quickly growing into a young woman - but she’s just as comfortable with Willow’s presence as the others, walking over the moment she’s called to. “Were you able to get…?”

“Two packs.” Willow slips her the boxes of feminine products, giving her a wink, “Figured you’d need them eventually.”

“ _Thank you_.” the younger girl whispers, and Willow ruffles her hair, grinning at the annoyed grunt and swat it earns her.

“I also have two blank datapads for Taylor and Matthew,” Willow digs through the bag again, pulling out the datapads and then freezing at the look on Danielle’s face, pausing, “What?”

“Um… Matthew. He…”

She sucks in a breath and shakes her head, turning suddenly away - Taylor taking notice and walking over. Willow’s attention is immediately on him.

“Where’s Matthew?” she demands, voice gone back to C-Sec officer, hoping to hell her assumption is wrong.

Taylor - tall but gangly, just starting to fill out - grimaces, then shrugs. “Not sure. He wanted to go further into the Silversun ducts to explore - I couldn’t follow him in, and I wasn’t sending the other kids after him. We haven’t seen him since.”

“When?”

“Sunday.”

Willow’s heart stops, and she takes a moment to process the information, grip tightening dangerously on the datapads. She hasn’t  _lost_  one of them in years, since just after she’d first started bringing them things - and it  _hurts_.

 _Matthew always was the bravest._  She thinks, forcing herself to smile for the kids - giving Taylor the two datapads and chatting with them all for a while, sharing jokes and tips, making sure they’ve been staying out of trouble.

“Your hair is so  _long_ , Miss Willow!” Meera comments once they’ve all gathered around to talk, mandibles twitching adorably, “It’s so pretty!”

“I keep meaning to cut it…” Willow sighs, smirking at the chorus of  _no!!!_ s that follow. “Maybe I’ll keep it long then, if you kids like it so much!”

That earns more cheers, and Willow stays another couple of hours before excusing herself, stealing hugs from all of the kids on her way out.

“Look after each other!” she shouts behind her as she heads back out through the path, maintaining her cheery expression until she’s back on the other side.

Mouse seems suddenly jittery, and he frowns when he notices her face. “Ah - I forgot, about…”

“Matthew.” Willow confirms, clapping a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. “Mouse. Look after yourself, okay? And keep an eye on the kids.”

“Of course, Shepard. And… look after yourself too, okay?”

There’s something in his tone that makes her squint, watching him closely - letting him go and stepping back after a moment, nodding.

“Will do. See you later, Mouse.”

Willow walks quickly through the halls of the Citadel, but she doesn’t head home - she heads straight to C-Sec, ignoring Bailey’s surprised greeting and going straight to her desk, powering up her monitoring program.

“Check Duct Cams, Silversun Strip, for anything out of place.” she tells the VI, sitting back and waiting while it runs the search, biting down on her knuckles.

 _“Now showing Duct Cam 357, Armax Arena Quarter.”_  the VI chimes, and Willow leans immediately closer, staring at the black and white image.

 _There_. She grits her teeth, blows out a breath; a small body laying still on the bottom of the duct.  _In one piece, thank the Gods - he must have fallen._

“Willow?”

“Bailey.” she croaks, taking a moment to clear her throat and school her voice, “Can we close down the vents in Silversun Sector 7, send in a recovery team?”

“One of the kids?” Willow nods, feels a hand briefly touch her shoulder, “Consider it done. You go home, get some rest - we’ll look after it.”

Willow just nods again, locking her terminal before heading back out.

She makes it roughly halfway home before the feeling of being watched hits her again, and she whirls around,  _glaring_  into the empty space, biotics flaring unbidden around her fists.

 _Try me._  She spits mentally, still buzzing as she continues walking,  _I could use something to punch right now_.

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Thane - Tuesday - 05:00**

Thane gets in ahead of schedule, stepping off the transport and melting immediately into the shadows of the docks. He takes a moment to orient himself, hoists his duffel higher on his shoulder, and slips into the crowd, making his way efficiently through the winding corridors and up to Kolyat’s apartment.

He knocks and activates the scanners he’d installed on his sons door simultaneously, identified and cleared by the time Kolyat opens the door.

“Father.” Kolyat greets, earning a flicker of a smile from Thane - it really  _has_  been to long.

“Kolyat. It’s good to see you.” Thane steps in - checks the locks and the scanners, makes sure they’re running properly - then sets his bag down and hugs the younger drell, relaxing for a moment. “How are things here?”

“Boring, now that Saren’s been taken care of.” Kolyat returns the hug, though his voice is wary - he can understand why, considering he’s returned for a hit. “What job has brought you back?”

“As it happens, Shepard is my target.” Thane checks every surveillance device and security measure as he passes through the space, dropping his duffel carefully beside the couch and taking a moment to check every room - only returning once he’s certain everything is in working order, “Or rather, Commander Shepard  _and_  Officer Shepard are my targets. I’ve been informed the latter works at C-Sec.”

Kolyat’s standing with his arms crossed and his hip against the kitchen table, frowning. “The Shepard’s are  _good people_ , though.”

“You know as well as I that I will not make a move until I have fully researched the targets.” Thane unzips the duffel and pulls out the one other set of clothes he’d brought with him - a simple tunic and slacks, casual clothes meant to help him blend in - padding swiftly to the washroom, “Allow me to change, and then we can catch up over breakfast. Is that cafe still in Zakera?”

“Yes - they’ve got good pastries.” he hears Kolyat say before he closes the door, working at stripping out of his typical armor and changing into the civies.

He can get his programs up and running once they get back - it’s been two years since he’s been able to visit his son, and while he’ll still do his best to keep him away from his work, breakfast is a distraction he welcomes.

Thane makes a conscious effort to be  _visible_  as they make their way through the morning crowds of the Citadel - he’s not working, so he has no disguise programs running, no shields, just his civies and his biotics rolling beneath his scales.

Thane Krios needs no weapons to fell a target, but being seen also has the purpose of keeping his true identity and his alias’ separate - if  _Kiron Tien_  is hacking an interface elsewhere, clearly he has nothing to do with it.

Zakera Cafe is just getting busy when they enter - picking up a breakfast platter for each of them, with tea instead of coffee for Thane - and by the time they’ve taken a seat in the back corner of the space he’s already ID’d every entrance and exit, every possible hiding place, every camera location and blindspot.

“So.” he says, punching in a code on his omni and saving the security cameras specs for later, reaching gratefully for his tea, “What’s new?”

“I quit my job.” Kolyat says around a mouthful of breakfast pastry, making Thane scowl.

“When was this?”

“A couple of days ago?” he swallows, shrugs, “It wasn’t going where I wanted it to - wasn’t what I was expecting, anyways.”

Thane moves to respond and pauses, a flash of copper catching his attention. He shifts so he’s seated even more casually - slumped back, ankles crossed, tea lifted to his lips - and follows the flash discreetly, catching sight of the owner standing partially behind a pillar.

 _Blue uniform. Pistol on the hip. Shielded vest._  His eyes shift, examining the figure,  _Long red hair - human, C-Sec officer. I wonder._

“You are looking for a new job, then?” he says, turning his gaze back to Kolyat but keeping the woman in his peripheral, noting how she shifts when he speaks.  _Ahah, she is listening. Curious_.

“I am, yes. Too many ridiculous requests.” Kolyat either doesn’t notice his split attention or knows not to ask, taking another bite of his pastry, “I’m not a people person, father. You know this.”

“To true. They were not making proper use of your skills there, anyways.”

The officer walks away then, and Thane turns his head to watch her, eyes narrowed.

“Father?” Kolyat sounds confused, which means he hadn’t noticed the woman. Just as well; he had no intention of allowing his son to follow in his footsteps as far as careers went.

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Thane returns to sipping his tea, sharing a half-smirk, “Let’s eat, and talk awhile more. I’ve missed you.”

Kolyat takes the opportunity to give details on what had been going on during the Geth attacks, Thane listening intently, attention now divided.

 _Relax. Breathe. Once your hack programs have run, you’ll have all the information you need._  Thane sips his tea again, nodding to his son,  _Enjoy the time you have together._

 

* * *

 

 

  **Thane - Thursday - 05:00**

The second his hacks have breached C-Sec records, Thane knows his instincts had been right; the Officer he’d spotted in the cafe the morning of his arrival  _was_  Willow Shepard.

He can’t  _quite_  breach the camera’s inside the offices, but he has more than enough information on the woman to start profiling, and every other camera he’s passed has been wrangled by the hacks.

Thane had spent the first two days reading over all of the information he’d acquired, wanting to have an idea of what sort of prey he was hunting - Commander Shepard would come later.

As it turned out, Willow Shepard had a fascinating history. She was a young graduate of the Human Alliance’s N7 program, and a biotic - but she’d been medically discharged when she’d been diagnosed with a terminal illness, AEND.

She’d been with C-Sec nearly three years - since just after her diagnosis - and now there was a cure on the horizon, set to be released later in the year.

She was an only child, and her parents had been killed by Batarian Slavers back on her home colony, Mindoir, leaving her to be raised by her Aunt Hannah Shepard, Arisa’s mother.

_Interesting. And Ironic._

Thane spent the next week studying all of the information he’d pulled - her work in C-Sec, her missions as an N7, her habits and tendencies when dealing with coworkers, criminals, friends - and then planning a day to follow her. To observe this woman in person, to try and form his own opinion.

Because every source pointed at Willow Shepard being an honorable, powerful young woman - and he needed to see if they were true.

His intel shows that every second Thursday, she leaves early and heads to the Dark Star - to do what, the reports don’t say, but she leaves at 05:15 sharp, with a bag slung over her shoulder - so at 04:00 that Thursday, he slips into his armor and activates his tactical cloak, putting himself in position in a shadowed corner near her apartment.

At exactly 05:15 the door opens, and Willow steps out, giving him his first full look at her in person - copper hair again swept back in a high ponytail, blue eyes tired but alert, wearing her C-Sec uniform and carrying her pistol.

She seems  _wary_ , this morning, as though something’s spooked her, and Thane takes extra care to stay out of sight, moving from shadow to shadow as he follows her - first to Zakera Cafe, where she picks up a box of donuts, and then onwards towards the Dark Star.

It’s just as she’s approaching a rather familiar looking man that she stops suddenly, head snapping in his direction and eyes narrowing - and were he not cloaked and hidden in shadows, she’d have been staring  _right_  at him.

 _Hmm._  Thane watches, unmoving, as she turns back to the other person, speaking quietly before she’s slipping into the nearby ally and out of sight,  _Good instincts. Interesting._

Thane lets himself shimmer into view then, suppressing a smirk when the man he now recognizes jumps.

“Hello, Mouse.” he greets, keeping his tone even.

“Krios?” Mouse looks like he’s seen a ghost for a moment, expression shifting, “What are you  _doing_  here? Haven’t seen you in ten years!”

“I’m back on business, Mouse. I need information on a target.” Thane folds his hands behind his back, trying to seem placid, “Perhaps you can help me.”

“Sure, I guess - I mean I’ve got a decent network now, but - wait.” Mouse stares at him, searching, “Who’s the target?”

Thane only returns the stare, waiting.

“No. No way, Krios.” Mouse takes a step back then, arms crossed, “Shepard’s one of the  _good one’s_  - one of the best damn people on the Citadel. Who the hell would put a hit out on  _her_?!”

“That is none of your concern, Mouse.” Thane takes a step closer, using his height to his advantage, “Will you help me or not?”

“I  _can’t_ , dammit. She’s one of the only ones who  _cares_.”

Thane perks, eyes narrowed, “Cares?”

“About us. The duct rats. Shepard brings them food, checks in on them,  _talks_  to them.” Mouse jerks his thumb over his shoulder, “Why else would she be down here? She takes care of the kids, Krios. If she’s gone… no one will.”

“Would it ease your conscience if I say I have not yet decided to fulfil the hit?” he’s not convinced to drop it, yet, but getting information is the more crucial issue right now, “I need information, Mouse. I need to know who I’m hunting - and if she should be spared, I need to know  _why_.”

Mouse is silent for several moments - likely debating with himself - before he slouches, “Just… stay out of sight, alright? Willow’s nice to the kids, but she’s a damn good cop - if you’re not careful, she’ll notice you.”

“Understood.”

Thane has no intention of being seen - he is the predator here, after all - so he climbs the ladder hanging halfway down the building, making his way to the roof where he can see Shepard and the duct rats but not  _be_  seen, tactical cloak back in place.

She’s kneeling on the ground surrounded by five human children and two turians, and he seems to have missed something important - there’s an air of anguish about her, as though something precious has been lost.

Shepard seems to pull herself together after a moment, and she spends the next couple of hours talking with the children, giving them tips and advice, sharing the donuts with them.

Thane remains crouched on the roof the entire time, watching the exchange with a strange sense of wonder.  _So strange, that she cares so much for children unrelated to her. Curious._

Finally, Shepard stands and brushes her pants off, stealing hugs from all of the children and promising to come back soon before retreating back down the pathway, disappearing from sight.

Thane waits until she’s cleared the path and his omni reports a safe distance to make his way down, tactical cloak off as he hits the ground.

“ _Krios_?” one of the older kids gasps, the girl - and he realizes now that he knows them, these two.

“Danielle. Taylor.” he nods to each of them, keeps his hands folded and his face neutral, “You have grown quite a bit, since the last I saw you.”

“Ten years’ll do that.” Taylor mutters, though he keeps his head bowed - Thane notes that he has his arms extended, keeping the younger ones close.

_As if I would ever harm an innocent bystander. Especially a child._

That is one of his rules, after all; only kill the hit, and anyone who stands in the way. Not the people unfortunate enough to be nearby.

“I need information on someone.” Thane says, “Someone you all seem… rather fond of.”

“Is it Miss Willow?” one of the younger girls pipes up, squirming out of Taylor’s grip to step closer to him.

Thane goes to one knee so he can be on her level, “It is. Do you know her well?”

“Miss Willow is great!” the girl exclaims, and suddenly her fear is gone, “She’s  _super_  nice, and she brings us food and clean water!!”

“She brings us treats! And sometimes clothes, to!”

“She makes sure we’re safe and checks in on us all the time!”

“Miss Willow is  _really_  pretty, and really strong!! She’s a biotic! I saw her throw a man off a bridge!”

“What?! She did not!”

“Well, she threw him against a  _wall_ , at least! It was  _so cool!_ ”

 _The naivety of children_ , Thane thinks, even as his previous opinion of the woman shifts, picture becoming bigger and more confusing with every word from the children.

“Krios.” Taylor speaks up, silencing the others. He’s giving him a  _look_ , fists clenched, “Don’t do it.”

_Ah, he remembers the old days, then._

Thane brushes off his pants as he stands up, turning to leave, “I have not made up my mind yet, Taylor - keep this between us. Stay sharp, all of you.”

He doesn’t wait for a response - is already typing at his omni as he walks away, connecting to the cameras she would have to pass, searching through them until he finds her-

And then freezing in place when the moment the camera zooms in on her she’s whirling around, teeth bared and biotic energy flaring around her - it almost feels like she can  _see_  him, like she’s staring through his soul-

Then Willow turns away and keeps walking, the moment is broken, and Thane finds himself  _beyond_  intrigued by this kind, feisty woman.

_Who **are**  you, Willow Shepard? Much,  **much**  more research is needed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	3. An Inside Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolyat’s confused and somewhat worried by Thane’s preoccupation with his newest target. He’s seen him in Battle Sleep, seen him hunt, but this is different.
> 
> So he takes matters into his own hands - goes to C-Sec to investigate the woman that has entranced Thane Krios.
> 
> He didn’t realize how in-over-his-head he was getting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kolyat’s POV for this chapter.
> 
> Imma just let you guys read... meep. Enjoy?

**Kolyat - 08:00**

A month later, Kolyat isn’t even surprised to find Thane awake and staring off into space - information and images scrolling forgotten on the screen as he walks past to grab breakfast from the fridge.

At first, it had seemed like any other hit - his father doing the normal research, the usual profiling, tracking and observing the target as he had many others in the past.

 _Now_ , though… he’s seen Thane consumed by Battle Sleep, before. Seen him addicted to the rush, or obsessed with a hit, needing to finish it and move on.

This… this is  _different_. This is Thane watching quietly as Shepard goes on patrols, making quiet comments on how  _precise_  she is, how confident and careful, sighing almost wistfully every time she returns to the C-Sec office or her apartment - the two places he has no cameras. He’s also spent more time the last week staring off into space, zoned out, then he has  _watching_  the cameras.

“I’m surprised you  _don’t_  have cameras in her home, Father.” Kolyat comments, sitting at the opposite edge of the table with his coffee and cereal, “Wouldn’t it help you keep track of her better? Let you know what she’s up to when she’s home?”

“A target’s home is only to be bugged if that is where the hit is planned, Kolyat.” Thane scoffs, but there’s a softness to his tone as he goes on to say “I am not the type to spy on a lady in her personal space.”

_Okay. This is weird._

Kolyat stares at his father for a while - listening to his sighing, watching as he sinks back into a daze - and suddenly it hits him.

His father is  _infatuated_  with Willow Shepard.

“She’s still investigating your old hits, isn’t she?” he asks casually, watching Thane.

“She is - she’s identified my three oldest alias’, in fact. Officer Shepard is a very clever woman - where no one else made any progress, she has taken  _leaps_.”

“Isn’t that a  _bad_  thing?”

“Please, Kolyat; give your father some credit. I stage a death everytime I switch alias’ - all of her leads so far will have led her to dead ends.”

“You seem almost in  _awe_  of her, father.” Kolyat treads carefully, speaking quietly, “Almost as if you…  _like_  her.”

Thane goes very still, suddenly, eyes sharpening - Kolyat worries that he’s pushed to hard, said too much. It’s not like Thane has had any relationships since his mother had died - he hasn’t shown interest in  _anyone_ , so maybe he’s reading the signs wrong, it’s something else…

“That… is a dangerous thought, son.” Thane’s voice is soft, but the words seem loud, “And yet, perhaps there is truth to it. I am… intrigued by her. Curious, and awed. In much the same way as your mother did, she has captured my interest. Which leaves me at a difficult point.”

“She’s your target.” Kolyat says, watching his father's expression - held carefully neutral, but with a shade of  _despair_  lurking beneath.

“Not only that. Your mother… that I managed to gain her affection was a  _fluke_ , Kolyat. I am no romancer. Even were she not my target, would my suit be welcomed? How would I approach her? What can I offer her?”

Thane scowls then, standing and striding away into the living room, leaving Kolyat feeling more confused than ever.

“Father…?”

“I… need to meditate, for some time. I apologize.”

Kolyat stares at the open terminal for a moment - the backless screen allowing him to see the files still up, the ID picture from Officer Shepards badge, and he stands as well, a plan forming.

“I’m going out for a while!” he calls to Thane, grabbing his jacket and zipping it up, “Need to pass out some applications.”

“Be safe.”

“Of course, father.”

Kolyat lets the door click shut behind him, steels himself, then strides off into the belly of the Citadel, taking routes he  _hopes_  his father doesn’t have bugged.

Because if his father knew he was headed to C-Sec, he may not have let him go.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 C-Sec is quiet when Kolyat approaches, making it easy to slip into the safe zone of the offices and out of the range of any hacked cameras. He takes a moment to observe the space - the officers going about their business, the layout of the desks, the location of cameras and security grids and weapon lockers.

He may not be an assassin - has no plans to ever  _be_  an assassin - but Thane had ensured he knew how to handle himself, how to examine a situation, how to fight if need be.

There’s a human male with short, nearly white hair sitting near the front doors, the plaque on his desk reading  _Captain Bailey_.

_It’s a place to start. Just don’t seem to nervous._

Kolyat keeps his strides short, shoulders straight - wearing the  _barest_  hint of nerves, the type one would show when  _legitimately_ applying for a new job - coming to a stop before the desk and doing his best to sound polite, “Excuse me.”

Captain Bailey pauses in his typing, looking up at his voice; he lifts an eyebrow, looks him over, then says “Hello, son. What can I do for you today?”

“I was hoping to put in an application.” it’s an excuse, really - he’d just wanted to get a look inside the offices, see if he could spot Officer Shepard, spot some  _difference_ , some hint of what has his father so intrigued - but he does his best to seem honest, hopeful.

“Ah, you’ve seen the recruitment ads, have you?” Bailey chuckles, typing something that pulls up another program on his terminal. “Do you have your resume handy?”

Kolyat nods and types at his omni, sending the file to the terminal with a decisive click.

Bailey reads over the information,  _hmming_  and  _hawing_  - Kolyat doesn’t pay much attention. He’s to busy looking at the layout and keeping watch for a head of copper hair, wondering where exactly Officer Shepard sits, if she’s even in the office or if she’s patrolling -  _I **would**  choose the one day she’s not in to try and run recon, good job Kolyat…_

“Kolyat Krios, huh?” his name brings him back to attention, gaze snapping to the captain's, “You ever fired a gun, kid?”

“I have. Most drell on Kahje go through a basic self-defence program in their youth.” he says, only half lying - drell taken into certain positions with the  _compact_  were trained in their youth, yes, but his own training had come from Thane.  _You need to know how to protect yourself, should anyone ever come calling. I will not allow what happened to your mother to happen to you._

“Right, you’re hired, then.”

 _That_  makes him freeze, blinking at the captain silently for a moment.

“Ah, pardon?”

“You’re hired.” Bailey’s standing, motioning for him to follow, talking as he walks, “You’re the first applicant who’s at least got  _some_  appropriate background, Krios. I’d be stupid to not give you a chance, at least. Your trainer will go through the necessary paperwork with you, get you fitted with a vest and do a test of your shooting skills - trainees don’t get a pistol right away, but she’ll need to confirm you have  _some_  skill with a gun.”

“Sounds fair.” Kolyat mutters, trying to control his panic -  _this was not the plan, I was **not**  supposed to get hired here! What if I run into-_

“Ah, Willow, got a minute? I’ve officially hired your first trainee!”

_Oh sweet merciful Kalahira **why**._

Kolyat stays as far behind Bailey as possible as they approach the desk, eyes locked on the woman sitting behind it - one that he recognizes all to easily from the personal records and security cams on his father's terminal.

Willow Shepard glances up from her terminal and gives Bailey a grin before her gaze flicks to him, and again he has to shove away panic at the way her eyes narrow  _just_  a little, expression pinching for a moment before what reads as almost recognition flits across her face.

“Finally managed to wrangle one, Bailey?” she jokes, shutting down the windows on her terminal as she stands, hands on her hips.

_Probably the files on father’s old hits._

“Hey, he applied without any direct coercion from me.” Bailey chuckles, motioning him forwards, “This is Detective Willow Shepard, kid - she’ll be in charge of your training, and has the final say on if you make it into the force proper or not. Willow, this is Kolyat Krios. Go easy on’im, will ya? We  _need_  more recruits.”

Willow rolls her eyes, placing her hand over her heart, “I promise to play nice. Now shoo and let me deal with the paperwork.”

“Good luck, kid.” Bailey mutters, clapping him on the shoulder and heading off with a wave.

Leaving him alone with the woman his father is both infatuated with and hunting.

_This… is bad._

“Alright, Kolyat.” Willow holds out a hand, grinning, “Welcome to C-Sec training. Today’s the boring day - paperwork. Have a seat.”

“Thank you, Detective Shepard.” he shakes her hand, surprised at the snort that leaves her.

“Please, Officer Shepard or just Shepard is fine. ‘Detective’ is to… ah, I donno, stuffy.”

“Alright.”

Willow takes a seat and starts typing on her terminal, and Kolyat is careful not to stare  _too_  obviously, trying to puzzle her out.

“Y’know… you look kind of familiar.” she says after a while, eyes still on the screen, “Were you in Zakera Cafe a few weeks ago? With another drell?”

_Merciful Kalahira._

“Ah, yes - my father.” Kolyat clears his throat, keeps his voice level, “I haven’t seen him in some time - we were catching up.”

“Mmm, I think I heard you mention a job search that day - I wasn’t  _intentionally_  listening, I promise.” Willow smirks, goes back to her typing, “Your search led you here, huh? Can’t say I’m complaining - you seem like you’ll be a decent fit. Just gotta start going through the forms, now.”

Kolyat  _tries_  to relax after that, answering her questions honestly - as honestly as he  _can_ , anyways - and signing off on the datapad she hands him, slightly dazed as Willow gets him fitted with a vest and leads him into their private shooting range.

“Alright, kid.” Willow pulls a pistol from its rack, checks the safety on it, then hands it over, “Let’s see how your aim is.”

Checking the round and making sure the gun is properly loaded is second nature now, and Kolyat fires off the three shots remaining in the clip without thinking about it; never quite perfect centre, but close enough that he’d have done damage if the target was a person.

Willow’s expression is impressed and considering, and the barest hint of suspicion has him panicking again, wondering if he’s managed to fuck up after all.

Another moment passes, and then Willow’s grinning again, taking back the empty pistol and hanging it back on the racks, “Impressive, kid. You’ll do just fine. We’ve got a bit more paperwork to go, but then you’re free for the night - hopefully early mornings don’t bother you?”

“Not at all.”

“Good, because I’m usually here by 05:30, and I want you here no later then 06:30. We’ll discuss your schedule back at my desk.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Willow grimaces at the term, “Great, now I feel old. C’mon, kid, let’s get the boring stuff finished up.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Kolyat doesn’t bother trying to sneak back into the apartment - he’s sure Thane’s been watching the cameras, seeing where he’s been and why he hasn’t checked in.

He’s definitely not surprised to find his father back at the kitchen table, this time sitting facing the front door; a cup of tea in one hand, expression perfectly neutral.

“Kolyat,” there’s a different inflection to his voice - not anger, he can tell, but something else, “Why were you at C-Sec?”

_Right to the point, as usual._

“I thought I would put in an application; they’re looking for new recruits.”

“Kolyat.” Thane says again, and now he can tell the difference is  _concern_ , “You are aware that this action could be dangerous for  _both_  of us, yes?”

“I know, but I’m just a recruit - I’m not being sent on any dangerous assignments, father.” Kolyat shrugs, tries to look chagrined, “Besides, I thought I could help you, this way.”

“Help me?”

“You can’t get into the security cameras inside C-Sec - if I’m there, and I see Officer Willow, I can keep you updated.”

Thane is silent for a moment, tea seeming forgotten, and his voice is very quiet when he says “I have always done my best to keep you  _away_  from my work, Kolyat. To keep you safe.”

“I know, father. I won’t do anything that could draw attention to myself, I promise.”

“Alright.” another pause as Thane turns to type something on his terminal, then an almost hesitant “Did you see Officer Shepard?”

“No.” he hates lying, but he wants more time before he tells him, needs to figure out what, exactly, has drawn his father in so, “I haven’t been assigned to a trainer, yet. Just got a bunch of paperwork done today.”

“I see. Keep me updated, then. And congratulations, Kolyat.” Thane smiles then - the barest quirk, but enough for Kolyat to see - “You’ll do well.”

“Thank you, Father.” he responds, swallowing back the guilt.

_He’ll find out soon enough, anyways. Hopefully I’ll have enough time to figure things out._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Kolyat’s first week at C-Sec is spent inside the offices with Willow, going over every protocol and safety check she can think of - reviewing the current crime zones, known criminals, procedures for interacting with anyone in custody.

She shows him how to work the standard handcuffs he’s been given - able to resize to fit any current Citadel-dwelling species, a smart change - and how to adjust his vest properly, which straps to adjust and tighten.

“An ill-fitting vest could mean a bullet slips through - or that you’re not properly protected against a biotic blast.” she’d quipped, grinning, and it had reminded him so much of his father he’d had to pause for a moment, surprised.

The next week she takes him out on patrol twice - just doing a loop of Zakera Ward, not a specific assignment, and while Kolyat’s  _sure_  his father has noticed them he doesn’t say anything  about it.  _Too busy dreaming and hesitating._  He thinks one night, then scowls and scolds himself, knowing that’s unfair - Thane’s position is hardly an easy one, and his father has always been shy regarding new people.  _Well, new people he’s **interested**  in. Which has been zero till now._

Willow sits him down at her desk after the second patrol, showing him how to file a report and then having him write one, nodding and giving pointers as he types, laughing and clapping him on the shoulder once he’s done.

“You’ve got a knack for this, kid.” she praises, and Kolyat can’t help a swell of pride, returning her smile without a hint of nervousness.

He gets it now, he thinks. Sort of. He gets why Thane is so attracted to this human woman - and he hopes, honestly, that his father will call off the hit.

Willow continues to impress in the days after - shares little tips with him, stories and jokes, and when he arrives one morning to her puzzling over one of Thane’s old hits, she just waves and sips at her coffee.

“Sorry, Kolyat, just wanted to check something - decryption finally finished on this damn file.”

“What’s it about?” he asks casually, sipping at his own coffee as he sits across from her.

“Ah, just old unsolved cases - everytime I think I’m getting somewhere, the suspect turns up dead.” Willow shrugs a shoulder, closing the program and opening her email instead, making a quiet  _hmmmm_  noise before typing away, “Interesting.”

“Everything alright?”

“Yup, just my cousin - she checks in pretty often, keeps me updated on things.”

“Your cousin is Commander Shepard, right? The one who defeated Saren?”

“Yup, that’s the one - not a lot of us ‘Shepards’ around.” Willow  _hmms_  again before closing out the windows and standing up, bringing her coffee with her, “Alright, let’s go; a couple of drug dealers got brought in late last night, and they’re doing interrogations shortly. Figured we could watch, so you can get an idea of the proceedings.”

“Sure.” Kolyat says, following after.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 The next Wednesday starts off with an email from Thane - letting him know that he had something to take care of and would be out for the day - and getting ready as usual, off to C-Sec without a trace of the nerves he’d originally had.

Willow hasn’t shown any signs of suspicion since his first week, and she’s not only a good trainer, but a genuinely good person.

_I get the infatuation, now - she seems his type. Now if he’d just call off the hit…_

But that’s up to Thane, and Kolyat isn’t going to push him - not when pushing him could make things worse.

Willow’s at her desk with a coffee as per usual, grinning and lifting a hand in greeting, and Kolyat grins back.

“Shepard!” Bailey barks suddenly, striding over, “We’ve got a problem.”

The Captain’s expression is grim - one Kolyat doesn’t remember seeing, before - and Willow straightens immediately, “What’s happened?”

“It’s your kids, Shepard. Report just came in that one of the older ones shot the worker at a fruit stand down in the lower wards - victims alright, but he’s pissed and out for blood. You know where they could get a gun?”

“It sure as hell wasn’t me - have any gang recruiters been spotted around Zakera lately?”

“Not that I’ve heard, but you never know - could be who gave your kid the gun. Doesn’t matter. Take care of it before someone else decides to step in, ASAP.”

“We’re on it, Bailey.” Willow’s up and holstering her pistol immediately, jerking her head at him as she goes, “Let’s go, Kolyat - need to deal with this now.”

“Right behind you.” he says, a sick feeling in his stomach -  _the one day father isn’t watching the cameras is the day I wish he was._

Willow’s nearly running as they head for the Dark Star, dodging around the sparse crowds just starting to spread through the halls, and Kolyat has to work to catch up, startled by her speed.  _Is she using biotics?? What the hell??_

She skids to a stop at the entrance to an alley, nearly running into the man standing just outside it - grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and yanking him close.

“Who was it, Mouse?” she demands, voice soft but commanding, “Where’d the gun come from?  _What happened?!_ ”

“I don’t know where it came from, but it’s Taylor!” ‘Mouse’ is near shaking, but Kolyat can tell it’s not Willow he’s afraid of - the man grabs at her hand, pleading, “ _Please_ , Shepard, talk some sense into him! I think he’s been drugged!”

“I’ll handle it.” Willow promises, releasing him and stepping towards the alley, motioning, “Kolyat, stay behind me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” he slips, earning the barest hint of a grin before she’s pushing on through the path, leaving him to follow behind.

He can vaguely hear voices ahead of them, growing louder as they walk - what sounds like children, really, a chill creeping up his spine - and then there’s  _shouting_  as they near the end, and Willow stops right where the path opens.

“Taylor!” she calls, voice that authoritative tone from before, “Stand down!”

“Miss Willow! Thank God!”

“Please talk some sense into him!”

“Shepard,  _look_!” a slightly older voice calls out, excited, and Kolyat realizes  _this_  must be Taylor, “I can protect everyone, now! I can protect  _you_!”

“You injured a  _civilian_ , Taylor.” Willow calls back, taking slow steps out of the alley, “Who gave you the gun?”

“Some men in the market, wearing blue armor - it doesn’t matter!”

“It  _does_  matter, Taylor. You  _hurt_  someone - they gave you something else, didn’t they? A red substance in a little bag?”

“They said it would help-”

“They drugged you, Taylor. They drugged you and gave you a weapon - they  _wanted_  you to hurt people. Are you going to let yourself be used? Because that’s what's happening.”

“I - what? No,  _no_ , I just… just wanted to  _help_.”

“I know, hun, it’s okay.” Willow’s moved fully out of the alley now, voice soothing, and Kolyat follows carefully behind her, trying not to make any sudden movements, “Put the gun down, Taylor, it’s okay-”

“Okay. Okay, I’ll-”

The kid looks up, gaze shifting from Willow to Kolyat - and then he’s  _angry_ , the gun lifting suddenly, shouting “ _NO!_  I’ll  _protect_  you!”

“Taylor  _no_!”

“Taylor stand  _down_ -!”

“I  _won’t_ -!”

_BANG._

The shot rings out at the same time as Kolyat is shoved sideways, sprawling on the ground with an  _ugh!_  as  screams echo from the children, leaving a sudden, deafening silence.

Then, “ _Miss Willow!_ ”

“He shot Miss Willow!”

“ _Taylor!_  How could you?!”

Kolyat’s scrambling up immediately, heart pounding, “Shepard!”

Willow stands perfectly still, face a mask of neutral calm despite the slash of red across her cheek - a graze, streaks of blood making slow lines towards her chin.

“I’m alright.” she says quietly, and he’s awed by her calm.

 _He was aiming for me._  Kolyat swallows roughly, fists clenched,  _If that shot had been a little more to the right, she’d be… Willow would be-!_

A gun clattering to the ground draws his attention back to the kids - Taylor collapsing to his knees, abject horror written across his face.

“I shot Shepard.” he whispers, hands starting to shake, “I didn’t… I didn’t  _mean_  to, I just… oh my God… oh my  _God_ -”

“Kolyat.” Willow murmurs, already walking forwards, “Dispose of the gun. We don’t need any more accidents happening today.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kolyat hurries to do as told, grabbing the gun and yanking out the clip, stuffing it in his vests pocket so he can get rid of it at the precinct.

Then he watches, still so startled and amazed by her reactions,  _knowing_ , now, why his father cares as he does.

Because Willow isn’t angry, or harsh, or resentful. She’s careful and calming, crouching down so she can hug the shaking teenager, letting him sob against her shoulder - head tilted back so the blood doesn’t touch him, making quiet shushing sounds as she rocks him.

“I’m sorry, I’m so,  _so_  sorry.” Taylor is whispering over and over, clearly shocked by what he’d done, and Kolyat realizes that this is a better way to teach then being harsh ever could be.

Mouse comes running at the commotion, taking over once Taylor has calmed down and Willow is able to pry herself away, promising to look after things and keep her updated.

Willow grimaces and wipes away the blood once they’ve exited the path back into the main corridor of the Citadel, releasing a long breath. “Well. Not how I imagined starting my day.”

“Are you alright?” the similarities to his father in this moment are near overwhelming - she’s not showing emotion, but he can see the strain in her expressions, can tell she’s holding it back - “I’m sorry, it was my fault-”

“It was no one’s fault but the damned mercs that drugged Taylor and gave him a gun.” Willow snaps, wincing, “Shit, sorry, I’m just… I’m angry, Kolyat. And I’m going to find out who it was that did it, and I’m going to drag their asses into jail.”

“They’ll probably put up a fight.” he says.

“Fuck, I  _hope_  they put up a fight - then I can’t get in shit for going biotic on their ass.” Willow opens one of the medigel canisters she has on her belt as she speaks, slapping it on the wound with a hiss.

_That settles it - I get it, now. And… maybe father can help._

“We’ll find out who it was, Shepard. But… maybe you should get that looked at?”

“Just a scratch.” she huffs, rolling her shoulders, “But you’re right, just in case the bullet was laced with something. I’m going to take the rest of the day after we check in with Bailey, kid - sorry for dragging you into danger like that.”

“Gotta learn sometime, right?” he quips, and Willow laughs, startled.

“That’s true. Anyways, let’s get this over with - I want to talk to Bailey, go to the hospital, then go home and  _sleep_.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 “Father.” Kolyat says the moment he walks through the door, spotting him at the table, “I need your help.”

“A moment, son; I believe some of my camera’s are malfunctioning.” Thane motions him over, typing away with a scowl, “I have not been able to pinpoint Officer Shepard since returning from my errands - did you see her at work? Speaking of, why are you home so early?”

“Shepard got shot.” Kolyat blurts, and his father’s gaze snaps to him, emerald suddenly vivid in the black.

“ _What_?”

“Okay, first - you probably know, but Shepard’s my trainer. I didn’t  _try_  to get assigned to her, but it happened, and I  _get_  it, now, why you’re so attracted - but that’s not the point!” Kolyat slams a fist on the table, frustrated, “Bailey got a call today that one of her ‘kids’ had been in trouble - he’d gotten a gun, and had injured a store clerk down in the markets.”

Thane clasps his hands then, leaning forwards on his elbows - he’s slipped into assassin mode, now, voice deceptively calm “Go on.”

“We went to investigate, and it was the older boy - Taylor? - he’d been  _drugged_ , father, and given a gun by a merc, and Shepard was talking him down. She was  _managing_ , to, he was calming down - but then he spotted me and he went  _crazy_  and he… he fired.”

“He was aiming for  _me_ , but Shepard shoved me out of the way - he caught her on the cheek, just a graze, thank Kalahira, but it startled him out of the daze. And she wasn’t angry until after, she just calmed him down, comforted him - but after, father, she was ready to  _kill_. She wants to find the merc that did it so she can bring him in.”

Kolyat stops, panting for breath for a moment, then leans closer, determined. “ _You_  can find the merc, father. I know you can. Will you help?”

“As though you need to ask.” Thane’s words are nearly a hiss, and Kolyat has to reign in a triumphant smirk as the elder drell starts typing, nearly radiating rage as he works. “I would take care of the man myself, would it not be more appropriate for Officer Shepard to take care of him herself. Discrete assistance is needed, then.”

“Thank you, father.” Kolyat relaxes into his seat, relieved, “I’m sorry. For not telling you who my trainer was.”

“You had your reasons.” Thane mutters, lost in focus, a near feral smirk pulling at his mouth when a near silent  _bing_  sounds from his terminal, “Your merc is a member of the Blue Suns, working closely under their current leader, Vito Santiago. It seems as though he spends most of his time in the markets, recruiting whoever he can, beating up people he deems weak. I’ll have more information shortly - you can bring it to Shepard tomorrow morning.”

“I bet she’ll be appreciative.” Kolyat says, trying not to grin at the way his father’s attention shifts.

“It is the least I can do.” Thane all but whispers.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Kolyat jogs into C-Sec the next morning, datapad containing the mercs info clutched tightly under one arm, trying not to grin to widely - only to be stopped by Bailey not five steps in the door, the Captain waving him over from his terminal.

“Shoot, sorry, kid, I forgot to email you.” Bailey curses, scratching at the back of his head, “You get the rest of the week off - Willow’s not coming in.”

“Is she alright?” he asks, worried that the wound had been deeper then he’d thought.

“Well, as far as I know she is, yeah. Just know I got an email from her late last night that she wouldn’t be in for a few days because she had to go help her cousin with something out on Omega.” Bailey shrugs, “Thinking it’s some ‘Spectre Business’, since she didn’t say much else - didn’t want to ask. You’ll get a message from me once she’s back.”

Kolyat barely a manages an ‘okay’ before he’s all but sprinting back through the halls of the Citadel, cursing mentally.

He’s almost proud of himself when, throwing open the door, Thane seems slightly startled, “Kolyat? What’s happened?”

“We have a problem.” Kolyat pants, still clutching the datapad, “Commander Shepard took Willow to Omega.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! Pls let me know how I'm doing omg ;; ♥


	4. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garrus is MIA on Omega, so Arisa calls Willow in for backup - they find him, get him out, but Willow overexerts herself in the process. Luckily, she has someone watching out for her.
> 
> Thane comes to a decision after he carries Willow to the hospital, unable and unwilling to fight the truth any longer; he’s calling off the hits. Now if he can figure out a way to approach her, he’ll be making progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, shout out to @lynngo-art and @kittenkakt for all the brainstorming, and @ariannadi for betaing even tho she hasn’t played the trilogy lu adi i’m sorry ♥ Enjoy!

**Willow - Normandy SR1, Citadel Docks - 04:00**

“Officer Vakarian will be fine, Commander Shepard - just needs some rest, some time for the cybernetics to fully integrate. Lucky, really, to be turian - any other species would not have come out so well.”

“Thank you, Dr. Solus.” Arisa runs a tired hand through her hair, looking near ready to collapse.

Willow feels about the same.

Omega had been a shit show from start to finish - all Arisa had said when she’d shown up to get her was  _Garrus has gone radio silent on Omega, he should have reported in by now. Something’s wrong._

It had been meant as an early test for his Spectre candidacy, to see if he could work alone under pressure - sent to retrieve Doctor Mordin Solus, a brilliant salarian scientist, from a clinic in the belly of Omega.

When Garrus had missed the rendezvous time and not responded to any attempts at contact, Arisa had come for Willow.  _If the two of us can’t track him down, no one can._

Somehow, someway, Garrus had managed to piss off  _three_  merc companies, and holed himself up in an old apartment complex to keep out of their range - Mordin had shown up at the Normandy by himself, the turian clearing the way before he was forced into hiding.  _Mercs tracking communications, Officer Vakarian unable to answer comm._

If she’s honest, Willow has to admit that plowing through the mercs was kind of fun - she’d let her biotics loose, not reining them in like she did at C-Sec, and  _god_  it had been nice to work with an assault rifle again.

Getting to Garrus wasn’t hard, and even taking down the reinforcements once they’d reached him wasn’t a big deal.

No, it was the goddamn  _gun ship_  that decided to show up and hit Garrus with a  _rocket_  that had made things go to hell, catching him in the face and knocking him briefly unconscious.

Things were a blur after that - taking down the gunship, Arisa screaming into the comm for evac, Mordin meeting them on the shuttle to try and assess the damage.

He and Chakwas had been locked in the med bay nearly the entire flight back to the Citadel, Arisa pacing back and forth outside the doors and Willow sitting quietly at the mess table, fighting off a killer headache.

When they’d finally opened, she’d half thought her cousin was going to shove the doctors over in her race to get inside, following at a much slower pace and breathing a sigh of relief at the news.

_Garrus will be alright. He’ll have permanent scarring - we had to use cybernetics and grafts - but he’ll be alright._

“ _Talk_  to him when he wakes up, alright?” Willow mumbles as she passes her cousin, squeezing her shoulder with a  _look_.

“Yeah, yeah. Right after I yell at him.” Arisa sighs, “Thanks, Willow. Couldn’t have gotten him out of there without you.”

“No problem. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to head home so I can sleep.”

“Do you want someone to walk you home? Because of…?”

“I think I can handle myself, cous.” Willow waves her off, stepping out of the med bay.

“Have a pleasant evening, Officer Shepard.” Mordin says as she passes him, head tilted, “Now that I am here, cure for AEND should be ready shortly. Will alert you the moment it is.”

“Thank you, Dr. Solus. Good night.”

Willow makes it off the Normandy before she has to pause, breathing in deeply for a moment, wincing at a flash of pain in the back of her skull.

_Forgot to bring the supplements with me - fuck, ow._  She hisses out a breath, forces herself to move, heading home.

The  _last_  thing she needs is to collapse out in the open when there’s an assassin after her - even if neither she or Arisa have had any leads or incidents since that first tip, or the fact that she hasn’t had the feeling of being watched in weeks.  _Just means they’ve gotten smarter, not that they’re gone._

Most of the time she can Mask, or at least has that small backup of energy to keep herself functioning - but without the supplements, that backup is smaller, and now she’s realizing just how foolish it had been to let loose on Omega.

_Okay._  she thinks, sucking in a harsh breath as she lets the Mask go - steps shakier and shorter, vision not as sharp, but able to keep  _moving_ , at least - and changes route, knowing Huerta is closer than home,  _Just **get**  to the hospital, then pass out. Good plan. Surrounded by people, medical equipment - no chance an assassin can get to me. Hopefully.  **Fuck**  this hurts._

Willow’s halfway through the corridor that leads to Huerta when her legs give out, cursing and twisting to land on her ass, back against the wall and breath coming in quick, hissing gasps.

_Fuck me, I had to pick the one time of day that there’s **no one**  around._ She lets her head clunk back against the wall, eyes sliding shut as her energy dwindles, consciousness fading,  _Fuck, please - help-_

Then she’s out, the darkness swallowing her.

 

* * *

 She’s jostled slightly as arms slip under her - one beneath her knees, the other around her back - lifting her against a firm chest, a burst of warmth that she automatically curls closer to.

The person rumbles, a calming vibration against her side, and then she’s being carried -  _carried where? Who is it? Where are we going?_

Her energy’s still depleted - she can only vaguely tell they’re moving, hear voices around them as they step into blinding light that burns behind her eyelids, feels when they start moving again.

Willow murmurs when she’s set down on what feels like a hard bed, still struggling against the pull of sleep as she tries to listen, to process what’s going on.

“She had this with her.” she hears a voice say above her - deep and rumbling, almost familiar - before there’s a  _click_  off to the side, “Make sure no one takes it, please. Have you contacted her family? Good.”

The other voice says something and there’s footsteps, and then Willow feels her hair being drawn back from where it lays across her face, a thumb drawing tenderly over her cheek.

“Rest, Siha.” says the deep voice, soft and soothing, “You are safe.”

Sleep takes her as the hand leaves her face, and then all she knows is darkness.

 

* * *

 “ _Who_  brought her in?! When?!”

“About an hour ago, ma’am, and we don’t know the man’s name - he left before we could get any details.”

“I don’t care about his name! Well I do, but what  _species_  was he?”

“It was a drell, ma’am.”

Willow winces at the voices - much louder than the last time she’d nearly come to, and  _definitely_  familiar, this time - slowly opening her eyes and squinting into the bright lights.

_Where… Huerta?_

“That’s more than a little fishy. What colour was the drell?”

“Dark green, ma’am, with red frills I believe.”

“Relax, Arisa,” a second voice hums, and even through the remaining grogginess she’s happy to hear him, “Could be her trainee that found her? He’s a drell, right?”

“Kolyat is -  _ugh_  - teal.” Willow rasps, trying to push herself up, “Not green.”

“Willow! Thank the spirits.” Arisa’s at her side immediately, staring at her, looking nearly as panicked as she had when Garrus had gotten hit, “Are you alright? You collapsed, didn’t you? Fuck, Willow, you should have just stayed on the Normandy!”

“Yeah, I know, I’m dumb, I’m sorry - but clearly I’m okay. Somehow.” Willow looks to the turian behind her cousin, managing a grin, “Hey, Garrus. Glad to see you up.”

“I woke up maybe twenty minutes before we got the call.” Garrus flares his good mandible - bandage still covering the right side of his face, masking the damage - nodding to her, “Mordin cleared me for coming with Arisa to check on you - probably knew better then to  _stop_  me, really.”

“I hadn’t quite stopped  _yelling_  at him yet, but making sure you’re okay was more important.” Arisa grumbles, giving him a look - Garrus only shrugs.

“Okay… so what happened? How did I get here?” Willow swings her legs over the edge of the bed, feeling more alert, “Last I remember, my legs gave out in the hallway around the corner from Huerta… and I  _vaguely_  remember someone carrying me, probably taking me here…”

“The staff didn’t get the chance to ID him, and strangely enough the cameras all decided to malfunction  _right_  when he brought you here - but it was apparently a drell. Green skin, red frills.” Arisa rocks back on one heel, arms crossed, “Sound like any drell you’ve seen?”

There’s a  _vague_  memory pulling at her then, trying to push through - but her headache pulses, and she shakes her head with a sigh, “No. Like I said, not the same colours as Kolyat, and I don’t know any other drell. Least he was nice enough to bring me to the hospital, whoever he was.”

“Hmm.” Arisa’s clearly not satisfied, chewing on her lip, but she gives up after a moment, sighing, “Alright, you ready to head home? We’re escorting you,  _no buts._ ”

“I wasn’t going to argue, ‘Risa.”

“Is Officer Shepard ready to head out?” a voice calls from the doorway, one of the nurses from earlier.

“She is. Thank you for looking after her.”

“That’s what we’re here for. Don’t forget your datapad, Officer Shepard.”

Willow freezes, blinking in confusion. “Datapad?”

“The one on the table, there - the drell that brought you in said you’d had it with you when he found you.”

Willow scowls, turning to eye the thing, cautious.  _It wouldn’t have made it into the hospital if it was bugged, though, right? What could it…_

Curiosity wins out, and she scoops up the mystery datapad, clicking it open… and nearly dropping the damn thing in shock.

“This… this is….”

“Willow?”

“ _This is the merc that drugged Taylor._ ” she manages to whisper, wide eyed as she scrolls through the info - security vids, mugshots, times and dates and locations,  _all on the datapad_  - clutching it tightly to her chest, “I can use this to bring the bastard in, Arisa! This is  _amazing_.”

“Okay, that’s awesome, but you are in  _no shape_  to go merc hunting, right now.” Arisa gives her a  _look_ , “Go hunting  _tomorrow_ , okay?”

“Okay, okay,  _tomorrow_ … can we go, now? I need to plan.”

“You need to  _sleep_ , Willow.”

“I can do both - it’s like, 06:00. I’ve got all day.”

_And I am **not**  letting this asshole get away with this. Hopefully I can figure out who the drell was, later. I need to thank him._

 

* * *

 If Willow looks a little feral the next day - marching the blue suns merc into C-Sec with his wrists cuffed and his face bruised - she doesn’t even care.

She’d been up and ready and out hunting the moment her alarm went off - earlier then usual, timed to the meetups in the datapad - catching the merc mid-deal and telling him, straight out, that he was under arrest.

He’d resisted - she’d expected him to, really - and now sported a broken nose and bruising along his right cheek and jaw.  _Don’t resist arrest when the Officer is a biotic, you bloody moron._

Bailey’s smirking as she marches him into the precinct, her fellow officers give nods of support… and Kolyat looks just a little starstruck, when they pass her desk.

“Back in a few, kid.” she says, earning a nod, and then she’s hustling the merc into the cell block, ready to throw him inside and be done.

“Stupid  _bitch_.” the merc cusses as they near the open cell, spitting, “I ain’t done  _nothing_  wrong, you’ll  _pay_  for this-!”

Willow doesn’t hesitate; uses her positioning and biotics to  _slam_  him against the wall, holding him there with his face pressed into the metal.

“You drugged a  _minor_  and gave him a gun, asshole -  _that’s_  illegal.” she’s snarling, letting the power flare, teeth barred, “And now, you’ve threatened an officer. Enjoy your new home, idiot. You’ll be here awhile.”

She’s yanked him back and shoved him into the cell before he can respond, locking the grid and striding off towards the offices, feeling satisfied and  _relieved_.  _Now he can’t get to anymore kids._

Kolyat’s still sitting at her desk, though he jumps up when he spots her, nearly scrambling to get out of her way.

Willow gives a half smile, “Sorry, Kolyat - didn’t mean to freak you out. Just felt too damn  _good_  to put that guy away.”

“Ah, no, you didn’t freak me out, Shepard, don’t worry. I’m just kind of… awed, I guess. You  _are_  a bit scary when you’re mad.” Kolyat laughs, rubbing at the back of his head, “I’m glad you’re back, though - Bailey emailed me to come in this morning. Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s good. Better than good. Bailey told you why I wasn’t in for a while?” at his nod, she grins and slips into her seat, “Let’s just say I had to help my cousin with something. But everything’s taken care of, now, and I’m back. Did I miss anything around here?”

“Absolutely  _nothing_.” Kolyat deadpans, and she laughs.

“Alright, then. Let’s see what’s happening in Zakera Ward today, shall we?”

 

* * *

  **Willow - 18:30**

The next week finds Willow sitting at her desk, scrolling through the casefiles and sipping at the remains of her lukewarm coffee, grimacing when she hits the bottom and gets a mouthful of sugar.  _Ugh, they didn’t stir it right - bleck._

Kolyat’s gone home for the night, so she’s reviewing her files, scowling at her own notes. Even with training Kolyat and the shenanigans on Omega, she’s managed to ID four suspects… all of which have been marked as  _deceased_.

_Shifom Ruil. Sandy coloured with pale frills. Deceased._

_Nali Thaol. Purple scales with red frills. Deceased._

_Haro Lien. Red scales with sandy frills. Deceased._

_Thiya Driet. Blue scales with purple frills. Deceased._

_This doesn’t make any sense. They can’t **all**  have just dropped dead._ Willow rocks back in her chair, blowing out an annoyed breath.  _I’m missing something._

“Bring up security vids 1 through 4 and run in sequence.” she tells her VI, running a hand through her hair and wincing when her glove catches, grumbling and glaring at the rough patches on her palm.

_I really need to replace these._

_“Now playing security vids 1 through 4, Officer Shepard.”_  the VI chimes, and she leans forwards, watching the movements.

_Wait…_  she leans forwards, squinting, eyes flicking between the four vids. “Play them again.” she says, watching more carefully, eyes going wide.

_They all move the same - the same tactics, the same attacks, they’re the **same.**  It’s  **one**  person!_ Willow bites her lip to keep from shouting, startled and  _delighted_.  _Is there tech that can change a drells skin tone? There must be! That’s why no one could ever figure it out! He must use a different alias for every job-_

“Hey, Willow, glad you’re still here - you’ve got a package.”

Willow’s head snaps up, startled. “Huh?”

Bailey just lifts the box he’s carrying, jiggling it around a bit before setting it on the edge of her desk. “Package for you. Just showed up - no name, or return address, but it scanned as being clear. Did you order something?”

“I definitely  _didn’t_.” she rolls her chair closer, eyeing the box dubiously -  _it could be from the assassin, but it cleared the scans; Garrus wired those things to catch **anything**  off. What could it…?_

“Well, open it, already. Probably safer while I’m here, anyways.” Bailey prods, making her sigh and tear carefully at the wrapping paper, stuffing it into the garbage once she’s given it a quick look over.

Then she pries open the box and looks inside, blinking. “What…?”

“Gloves, huh?” Bailey crosses his arms as she gingerly lifts them out, eyebrows lifted, “You sure you didn’t order them?”

“I kept  _meaning_  to, but…” Willow turns them over and squints, checking for anything weird, “I  _swear_  I never got around to  _actually_  ordering a pair.”

“Maybe you did and just don’t remember.”

Willow doesn’t answer; just peels off her old gloves and pulls on the new ones, surprised by how  _perfectly_  they fit. “Okay, there’s no  _way_  I ordered these; they’re  _way_  nicer than the ones I usually get, they fit better and the grip is tighter - I don’t want to know how much they cost.”

“Then I guess you’ve got a secret admirer, Shepard. Don’t complain.” Bailey chuckles, shrugging a shoulder, “Anyways, I’m heading out. Don’t stay  _too_  late, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Willow mumbles, still staring at the gloves. Then she hums, locking her terminal and tossing the old ones in the garbage.

_I’ll puzzle it out later. At least I don’t need to order new ones._

 

* * *

  **Thane - Citadel Docks - 04:30**

Thane knows exactly when the Normandy returns to the Citadel Docks, and he’s watching from the shadows as the crew sets to securing her, fiddling with the datapad and waiting patiently.

Both he and Kolyat had been glued to the terminal during the Shepard’s time on Omega - linked in to the stations cameras after a quick call to it’s ruler.

Aria T’Loak may not have liked to admit that she’d hired an assassin to deal with annoyances off-station, but she knew better then to deny the request - they’d been able to access and locate the proper cameras almost immediately, treated to the show that was Arisa and Willow plowing through the mercs as though they were ants.

Thane wished he’d been there to help - especially when the turian they’d gone to retrieve was taken out - but it would have been to dangerous, to obvious that they were being followed.

So he had resigned himself to watching, breathing an audible sigh of relief once they had left the station, brow ridge lifting at the near identical sigh from Kolyat.

“What? She’s a good mentor. I don’t want her getting  _killed_.” Kolyat had huffed, giving him a pointed look, and Thane had been unable to respond.

So now, he waits, a shadow like any other, slowly growing more confident in his decision as he watches for her.

It’s like every cell in his body comes alive when she finally steps out of the airlock, as though he can breathe again, now that he has seen for himself that she is alright.

Except she’s not alright.

Willow is wincing as she walks, nearly panting, and Thane pushes down on his alarm as he trails her silently, staying out of the range of cameras.

On Omega she had seemed a true predator - powerful in her N7 armor and practiced in her motions, a true Siha - but now she is staggering, steps slow and weak, and he searches his memory for the medical page of her records, diagnosis flaring in his mind even as he keeps careful watch over his injured warrior.

_A.E.N.D. A rare neuro-degenerative disorder. Cure in process; treatment available._

_She pushed herself on Omega._  He realizes, mentally scolding, glad when she heads towards Huerta,  _Ironic, that the one I find myself drawn to is as broken as I once was._

Willow curses suddenly, and Thane has to physically restrain himself when she crumples, relieved when she lands on her ass and leans against the wall -  _no injuries from the fall, then, thank Kalahira_ -

He waits only until her eyes have closed - till her breathing, pained and short as it is, seems to even out - before starting his hack and leaving the shadows, making sure every camera in the vicinity is malfunctioning before he reaches her.

Thane moves swiftly but gently, not wanting to jostle her too much but needing to get her to safety; scooping her up and cradling her against his chest, unable to stop the rumble that echoes through his chest when she curls closer in her sleep.

This is the first time he’s been this close to her, and he finds it nearly overwhelming, forcing himself quickly onwards and through the front doors of the hospital.

He doesn’t give the receptionist time to speak once he’s inside, gaze harsh, “I found this woman collapsed in the corridor outside. I believe she is fine, but needs somewhere safe to rest.”

“Poor thing! This way, please.”

Thane says nothing as he follows the nurse further in, the near constant flashing of his omni assuring him that not one camera they pass will have footage of him.

The nurse motions for Thane to follow her into a room and set Willow down on the bed, scanning over the unconscious woman with her omni and typing a few things. “Detective Willow Shepard, C-Sec - ah, she has  _that_ , just a spell, then.”

“She had this with her.” Thane says, producing the datapad and setting it down on the bedside table, “Make sure no one takes it, please.”

“Of course, sir. No one will enter this room unaccompanied.”

“Have you contacted her family?”

“Yes, I’ve sent a message off to her closest relatives - it looks like they’re on the Citadel, so they should be here soon.”

“Good.” Thane nods to the nurse, waiting till she’s left the room to turn back to Willow.

Her breathing seems steadier now, her face less flushed - and he’s grateful he was there when she fell, if only to bring her here.

He can’t help himself, then - he reaches out, brushing back a strand of copper that’s fallen into her face, stroking his thumb over the curve of her cheek and wishing he could feel her skin through his gloves.

“Rest, Siha.” Thane murmurs, for that is what she is, “You are safe.”

He leaves then, swiftly and silently, before the hospital staff can ask questions or his hack can wear off. He discards of his gloves in a trash receptacle two blocks away, cracking his knuckles, happy to be rid of the stifling material -  _necessary when fingerprints could give one away._

Kolyat is awake when he returns home, and he can hear the question before he even asks.

“Willow is fine. She collapsed from overexertion, and I took her to the hospital. She will be fine.”

Kolyat slumps in relief, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Thank Kalahira.” he mutters, and he sounds so much like Thane himself that the older drell chuckles.

“Kolyat.” he says then, leaning back against the counter, trying for casual but knowing he is tense, “I have made a decision.”

His son’s eyes are on him then, intent and alert. “Which is?” he asks, voice guarded.

“Officer Shepard…  _Willow Shepard_ , is an intelligent, caring,  _passionate_  woman. And I would do the world a great hardship, were I to take her out of it. The same can be said for the Commander.” Thane pauses,  _hmms_ , “I am calling off the hits.”

“ _Yes_!” Kolyat exclaims, and though his excitement is contagious, Thane reigns himself in.

“There will likely be repercussions. I have heard the Illusive Man is the vindictive sort.” he warns, though truthfully he plans to prepare for that future, regardless, “And… I cannot simply  _approach_  her, Kolyat. I am unsure how to proceed here.”

“Hmm… well, giving her that datapad is definitely a good start. Shepard’ll be  _ecstatic_ , she’ll probably go get the merc first thing tomorrow.” Kolyat considers for a moment, thinking, “So, maybe…”

“...gifts.” Thane murmurs, the idea taking hold, “I could… send her gifts, small tokens. But I would need to know what she likes.”

“I  _guess_  I could try and give you hints…?” Kolyat suggests, and Thane finds himself laughing again, a quiet chuckle of true mirth.

“I would be in your debt, son. It seems… we have a plan.”

 

* * *

 Thane keeps close watch of the cameras the next morning, following Willow down to the markets and grinning softly when she hands the mercs ass to him.

He still can’t hack the cameras in C-Sec, but he doesn’t need to, now; Kolyat keeps him updated, tries to give him ideas, and Thane finds himself more reluctant then ever to approach the intriguing woman.

_Her files show no relationships since before we was diagnosed; perhaps she prefers to be single. What can I even offer her, that she could not find herself? Kalahira, guide me - how, exactly, does one woo such a marvelous woman?_

“Hey, Father.” Kolyat greets, setting down a bag of takeout on the table before heading to his room to change, “Did you call Cerberus, yet?”

“Not yet. I want to be prepared for the repercussions.” Thane takes a deep breath, resting his head in his hand, “Has Shepard gotten any closer in her investigations?”

“I think she’s ID’ed four of your alias’, now. She got really frustrated today, though - her glove keeps getting stuck to things.”

“Her glove?”

Kolyat nods, digging through the bag of food, “She wears gloves kind of like yours, actually - meant for combat and a better grip, I’d guess. But the palm of her right one is coming apart, so it keeps getting in the way.”

_Gloves would make a good gift._  Thane perks at that, typing on his omni - trying to remember roughly how big her hands were, from the day he’d found her collapsed, “Kolyat, how petite would you say Officer Shepard’s hands are?”

“Uh… not super dainty, smaller than mine, for sure, but with five digits obviously. Why?”

“It sounds as though her previous pair was not up to the task - I intend to send her a pair of the make that I myself wear, ones that should last her quite some time.” Thane pauses in his typing, glancing at his son, “I thought it would be a good start - something useful, something simple.”

“It’s a  _great_  start, Father. I’m sure she’ll love them.”

And when Kolyat reports, two days later, that Willow’s been wearing the new gloves non-stop, Thane can’t quite control his hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! I'll keep pumping out these chapters as long as the muses keep going!


	5. Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another week begins, and with it come more gifts. Willow gets suspicious when things she mentions start showing up - and even more so when a care box is delivered to the duct rats, showing whoever it is knows what’s important to her. She just needs to puzzle it out.
> 
> Thane continues with his plan to woo through gifts, not ready to reveal himself just yet. The kids have other ideas in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy peeps ♥

**Willow - Monday - 10:00**

Four months after first beginning her investigation into the unsolved cases, Willow sets her VI to decoding a set of mangled security vids and lets her head fall back, huffing out a breath.

Kolyat chuckles from his seat beside her, and Willow swats at him, trying not to grin when he only laughs more.

“Are you mocking your senior officer, kid?”

“I would  _never_ , Shepard.” he snickers.

“Uh-huh. Sorry I’m keeping you in today - wanted to see if I can decode this damn vid, and I just  _don’t_  feel like patrolling today.”

Kolyat shrugs, gaze returning to the datapad in his hands, “It’s alright. I need practice with this stuff, anyways. Which… can you look at this? I feel like I’m still screwing up.”

Willow sits up, leaning over to see the datapad, “It’s okay - these can be tricky, and even those of us that have been doing this for  _years_  have a hard time with some of them. It’s all about learning to read between the lines - the suspect  _could_  be innocent, or they could be bullshitting.”

“How can you ever know for sure if they’re guilty, though?”

“We never go solely by the written plea - there’s always other steps involved. Starting with this gives us an idea of where to look.”

They pause as an officer escorts an asari past them - young, going by their choice of language and clothing - looking up when Bailey approaches, holding a datapad and looking amused.

“Brought in for selling counterfeit fashion mags.” he explains, tossing the datapad on the desk, “Had a copy on her - she’ll be out in a day or so, I’m sure, but thought I’d share the wealth.”

“Yes, because I’m  _totally_  the type to look at fashion mags.” Willow rolls her eyes but grabs for the datapad anyways, amused, “Lesson on hold for a bit, Kolyat - let’s see what atrocious garments the fashion world is obsessed with these days.”

“I… take it you don’t care much for Citadel fashion?”

“Let’s just say the obsession with cutouts? Has  _no_  appeal for me.”

It’s just as bad as she’d suspected, really; cutouts  _everywhere_ , baring cleavage and midsections and  _more_ , and Willow wrinkles her nose and flips through most of the datapad with barely a glance, Kolyat laughing beside her.

She gets to a page with mens wear and makes an indignant noise, jabbing her finger at the pictures, “Ok, that’s not fair,  _look_!  _These_  are nice! Could do without the belt, but the coat’s  _sophisticated_ , none of this ‘bare everything’ crap!”

Willow flips to another page, pausing with a blink. “Okay, the accessories aren’t too terrible I guess - that scarf’s really nice. Look at the  _green_  - pretty vibrant for a scarf.”

“I thought you didn’t like fashion?” Kolyat teases, and she snorts and closes the datapad, tossing it in the bin.

“Alright, kid, you asked for it - back to work, then.” she snipes, earning a fake  _nooo_  that makes her grin, the fashion mag forgotten.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

  **Willow - Tuesday - 07:00**

_Niha Thoak, teal scales with purple frills… deceased! Another one!_

Willow grumbles and sits back in her chair, running a hand through her hair in frustration as she stares at the screen.

 _Okay. They’re **definitely**  all alias’ for the same person, no doubt about that, now. But unless I can figure out what his  **current**  alias is, this doesn’t help me._ She closes the windows, blows out another breath,  _That’s five of eight - three more to check out. Just gotta keep going._

She’s alone at her desk right now - she has Kolyat sitting in on an interrogation with another officer, just to give him a taste of what it's like.  _Kid needs to be prepared, if he wants to stay on the force._

Willow hopes he does. Kolyat’s a quick learner, a hard worker, and he’s done better in his time there then most recruits she’s seen over the years.

 _I hope his father approves of his job,_  she thinks briefly, sinking back into her chair with a sigh. Then her eyes snap open and she jolts upright, brain catching up.  _Wait. Wait wait wait. I saw his father briefly that day, in Zakera Cafe. What colour was he?_

 _Green. Green with red frills._  She crosses her arms, considering,  _Could it have been **him**  that brought me to Huerta? The colours match, and I haven’t seen any other drell around. But Kolyat would have said something, right? Unless he didn’t know it was him?_

“Oi, Willow, you got another delivery!”

Bailey’s voice snaps her back to attention, eyes wide as he sets another box down on her desk - roughly the same size as the first, and just as discreetly packaged.

“I  _definitely_  haven’t ordered anything.” she scoots a little closer, playing unconsciously with her gloves as she stares at the box, “Was it the same delivery person?”

“Completely different - scans show it’s safe, though. It’s not heavy, and nothing rattled when I shook it - hey, you’d have done the  _same_  damn thing, don’t even deny it.”

Willow  _hmph’s_  and stares for another moment, considering. Then she meets Baileys eyes, nods, and starts carefully pulling away the paper - once more checking it for any wiring or bugs before tucking it into the bin, pulling open the top flaps of the box.

And balking. “What the  _hell_.”

“That bad?”

Willow shakes her head, reaching gingerly inside to pull out the gift - a scarf. A silky, emerald green, infinity scarf - with swatches of paler greens and near teal spaced throughout, a more elegant scarf than she’d have ever managed to buy for herself.

“Well, then.” Bailey comments, and she can see his expression warring between amusement and concern, “Nice scarf. Can’t say I know anything about  _fashion_ , but…”

 _Fashion._  Willow lays the scarf out on her desk, running a careful hand over it - still cautious, still looking for bugs that aren’t there - and thinking back to the mag from the day before,  _This looks **very**  similar to the one in that mag… how…?_

“Okay, Shepard, Chellick said we were done, so - is that a scarf?”

“It is.” Willow glances at her trainee from the corner of her eye, watching his expressions.

Kolyat looks perturbed, “Wait, is that… the scarf from that mag we were looking at yesterday, Shepard?”

“No. It’s similar, but this one’s actually a lot  _nicer_. I’m not sure where it came from.” Willow’s suspicious, trying to pick out any hints of knowing in his expression - but Kolyat only nods, looking curious.

“Huh, that’s cool. Anyways, I’m done with Chellick. What’s next for today?”

“Hmmm, not sure, honestly. Seems like a slow day, huh Bailey?”

“That it is. If it weren’t for the fact that good booze is expensive as hell, I’d say we close up shop and all go for a round.”

“Hah! I haven’t had a good drink in  _years_. Mmmm.” Willow slips down in her chair, grinning, “What I’d give for a good bottle of  _Earth_ wine - fruity and sweet, none of that asari liquor - and a box of chocolate. Eh, maybe someday.”

“You can’t get Earth wine on the Citadel?” Kolyat asks, looking confused.

“You can, but the import costs are  _exorbitant_  - it’s way too expensive to bother. Anyways.” Willow waves the notion off, bundling the scarf up and setting it on a corner of her desk, “If we have nothing better to do, let’s take a look at those Defense Pads again.”

Kolyat groans but goes to get the datapad, and she watches for a moment, thinking.

_Need to test the theory. Guess we’ll see…_

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Willow - Thursday - 05:30**

Wednesday morning had seen another package, and Willow hadn’t even been surprised by the contents: a bottle of Strawberry Zinfandel bearing an Earth label, and a box of fancy chocolates. She shared a look with Bailey before tucking the box under her desk, and when Kolyat got to work and said nothing about it, she’d become even more curious.

_I don’t think it’s him. He’s a little to young, and definitely doesn’t make enough on a trainees salary to buy all this stuff, never mind paying for anonymous shipping._

Willow frowns as she zips up her vest, moving through the usual routine of Thursday morning - pulling her hair back with a tie, then zipping up her bag of rations and heading out.

 _Is it his father, then?_  She wonders as she walks, still darting glances around - simply because the assassin  _seems_  to have vanished doesn’t mean he actually has -  _Is he sending me gifts as a thank you for training Kolyat? For saving him? Or… is it something else?_

Normally she loves having mysteries to solve, but this one has her frustrated -  _what if I’m reading it all wrong, and it **is**  the assassin sending me things? Trying to lull me into a sense of calm? Or what if they’re connected? Fuuuuuck, I hate this!_

“Hey, Shepard.” Mouse greets as she approaches the alley, but he’s  _grinning_ , for once, walking ahead of her into the path, “You’re just in time! Wait till you  _see_  what they got.”

“...sorry?”

Mouse waves her off, and she briefly notes that his clothes look  _new_ , sturdier, that his omni is vibrant orange instead of it’s usual dull bronze - before she’s met by excited cheers when they exit into the clearing.

“Miss Willow, look! We got presents!”

“You  _just_  missed him, Miss Willow!”

“New clothes! New shoes!”

“Treats and water and good food! Look!”

Willow comes to a halt and just  _stares_ , half tackled by the younger kids and startled by the sight before her.

Every one of her gang is wearing new clothes and shoes - sturdier garments meant to last, built to endure - and there’s a pile of blankets nearby that  _definitely_  hadn’t been there before.

There’s a big box further in, and when she steps up to it she sees it’s stuffed full of water bottles and rations, a bigger variety then she’d ever managed to acquire for them, along with several smaller treats and - hidden in the bottom, medical supplies and toiletries.

“Willow! Look!” Danielle’s nearly bouncing as she comes over, and Willow doesn’t think she’s ever seen the teen so full of life - glowing in her new clothes, lifting her arm and grinning widely when an omni pops to life. “Look! I have an omni!”

“You have…?”

“He gave me  _and_  Taylor one! Said we’re old enough to own them, legally - and we can call for help if we get in trouble! Oh! We need your code, though, Shepard, because he didn’t have it, so-”

“Wait, wait, Danielle, slow down a minute, here.” Willow brushes her hair back from her face, overwhelmed, “ _Who_  gave you omni’s? Who brought all of this  _stuff_  for you guys?”

Danielle smiles widely, grabbing Willow’s hand and pointing at it, “The man who gave you  _these_!”

She stares for a moment, confused, before what she’d said clicks.  _The man who gave you these - the gloves?!_

“You  _know_  him?” she manages to choke, “You know who he is?!  _How_?”

“Mouse knows him! We met him a while ago.”

“ _But_ ,” Taylor cuts in, stepping up beside Danielle, “We promised we wouldn’t tell you who he is. He wasn’t ready yet, he said.”

“And he’s the one that’s been sending me gifts?” Willow asks, letting out a breath at their enthusiastic nods, “Okay. So, this… man. You kids trust him?”

“Well, Mouse says he’s okay, so yeah? We didn’t, at first, but we do now.  _Not_  just because of the presents.” Danielle cuts off that train of thought before she can voice it, giving her a knowing look, “It’s hard to explain - and we’re not supposed to tell, so you’ll have to ask him, eventually.”

“Okay.”

“We  _can_  tell you that he’s the one that brought you to the hospital.” Taylor says, catching her off guard.

Meaghen giggles suddenly, giving her leg another squeeze, “He really,  _really_  likes you, Miss Willow.”

“Well, I wish I knew who he was.” Willow sighs, patting Meaghen’s head, “But… this is amazing. I’m sorry I could never do this much for you.”

“It’s alright! He said he wanted to make up for what we’d been through, and thought we could use some extra.” Danielle tugs on her hand, still grinning, “Come on! Come see! And give us your code!”

“Alright.” she laughs, letting herself be led, mind reeling.

_The closer I think I am to figuring out the truth, the further I seem to be… I **will**  figure this out, dammit. If only to thank him._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

  **Willow - Friday - 07:30**

Willow gets in late the next morning, hiding a yawn behind her hand and stopping by Bailey’s desk to apologize. “Sorry I’m late, Bailey, couldn’t sleep - why are you smirking like that?”

“A couple of officers brought some interesting news to me this morning, Shepard.” Bailey’s smirk widens, “There’s another package on your desk - a  _big_  one, this time - and one of them said they saw  _Kolyat_  put it there.”

_Oh, fuck, because rumors are **exactly**  what I need._

“It’s not Kolyat.” she says, quietly, “I don’t  _think_  it is, anyways. Bailey, someone brought my kids a  _huge_  care box yesterday morning, before I got there. They said it’s the person who’s been sending me things… and that Mouse  _knew_  him, trusted him. Mouse has only met Kolyat  _once_.”

“That so? Hmm. Got any leads, then?”

“No, they’d all promised not to tell me who it is.” Willow sighs, biting her lip, “I have  _one_  idea, but I don’t have a clue if I’m right. Just going to keep an eye out and try and figure it out.”

“Sounds like a plan. Heads up, though - until you figure it out, you  _know_  there’s going to be rumors. We gotta keep ourselves entertained  _somehow_.”

“ _Yay_.” she deadpans, ignoring his laugh as she heads in towards her desk, eyeing both the  _big_  box on her desk and her trainee sitting at the end of it.

“Morning, Kolyat.” she greets, jerking a thumb at the box, “I hear I have yet  _another_  delivery, huh?”

“Yeah - it was beside your desk, nearly tripped over it.” Kolyat glares at the box, making her laugh, “Figured it was safer  _on_  your desk, where no one can kills themselves tripping on it.”

“Good plan.” Willow mutters, more sure of her suspicions now, “Alright, let’s see what’s in here, shall we? Geez, this box is a lot  _bigger_  than the others, what the hell…”

She rips away at the paper, hardly checking it this time -  _if the kids are right, this person is trustworthy and I can stop being paranoid… hopefully_  - and then popping open the flaps, glancing inside… and just kind of  _staring_.

Then she  _laughs_ , shaking her head and reaching inside, giving an  _oof_  as she hauls the thing out - a big, fluffy,  _ridiculous_  looking dog plushie.

“Oooo-kaaaaaay…”

“It’s a… dog?” Kolyat asks, looking confused - but there’s something in his tone that almost begs confirmation.  _I wonder…_

“I  _think_  it’s meant to be a Pomeranian, but they’re not usually so…  _round_.” she snickers, using her elbow to knock the box off her desk so she can pop the plushie on it instead, lips quirked. “This is hilarious.”

“That looks nothing like the ‘dogs’ in those vids, though.” Kolyat argues, poking at the plushie, “The old training ones from Earth? Aren’t ‘dogs’ usually more… tough?”

“Eh, it’s just got exaggerated features, is all. There’s a lot of plush animals out there that look like this.” Willow plops down in her seat and just grins for a minute, entertained. “Clearly, my admirer thought it was right. Least it’s soft - though I don’t have a clue what I’m going to  _do_  with it. Probably just stick it on my couch or something.”

“If you say so.” Kolyat eyes the plush for another moment, and Willow watches his reactions carefully, considering.

_Give it a couple more days, Willow, keep watching. I **think**  I’m right, but if I’m not… well, we’ll deal with that when we get there._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Willow - Saturday - 14:00**

Saturday’s quiet, and Willow’s just about to head to the cafe to grab a coffee and head home when her omni beeps.

“Hey, Danielle.” she greets, wishing against she could thank her mysterious admirer for getting the kids omnis - it makes keeping track of them  _so much easier_  - “What’s up, hun?”

_“Can you meet me at Zakera Cafe, Willow? It’s really important.”_

Willow frowns, upping her pace even as she says “Of course, hun, I was on my way there anyways. Is everything okay?”

_“Yeah, totally fine! Just have something to show you!”_

“Okay, be there shortly.”

Danielle closes the line, and Willow’s ready to panic anyways as she approaches the cafe, confused.

She spots the teenager sitting inside the Cafe and heads over, still glancing around, “Hey, Danielle. What’s going on?”

“Willow! Have a seat, come on.” the teenager is obviously excited, bouncing in her seat and grinning, eyes darting around, “Won’t be long, I promise!”

“Hun, what’s going on?” Willow sits as directed, on edge from the way Danielle is  _obviously_  looking for someone, trying not to look around herself, “Who are you looking for?”

“Oh, no one! Just… trying to help, is all, since you’ve always helped  _us_ , and he’s being  _so stubborn_ -”

“Officer Shepard?” a waitress steps up beside the table suddenly, smiling when she nods and setting down a large takeout cup, “A coffee for you, from the gentleman outside the doors.”

“ _What_?!”

“Oh, son of a-!” Danielle curses, standing and pointing suddenly towards the doors, “ _There_!”

Willow whirls around, following the girls directions - just in time to see a flash of green, red and black disappear around the corner and out of sight.

“What did he look like?” she asks the waitress, trying not to sound to angry - just startled and  _suspicious_.

“Ah, he was a drell, Officer; green scales and red frills. Quite the  _striking_  looking man, if I may.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Willow slumps back into her seat, noting the cheeky grin on Danielle’s face and narrowing her eyes at her, “You kids  _planned_  this, didn’t you?”

“Trying to help! But clearly didn’t do well enough. Hey, you got coffee, though!”

“Uh huh. Don’t think I’m letting you off the hook for swearing.” she warns, then reaches out to ruffle the girls hair when she pouts, smirking, “I’m kidding. You’re sixteen - you’re gonna say it when I’m not around anyways. Just…  _warn me_  before you attempt any more sneak-attack-dates, okay?”

“So… you’re not mad?”

“Kid, you tried to help; I’m not mad. While we’re here, order something hot to take back with you; my treat.”

 _I think,_  she muses, watching Danielle pour over the menu,  _That I need to have a talk with Kolyat, on Monday._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

  **Thane - Thursday - 04:00**

If asked, Thane would say he prides himself on being able to stay anonymous and discreet - but he would also be lying if he said that playing this game of back and forth with Willow wasn’t  _exhilarating._

When Kolyat comes home and mentions the green scarf, Thane goes looking for the one in the mag and immediately dismisses it, wanting something better.  _She deserves more than a knock-off or cheap imitation; Shepard deserves the **best**. A scarf she can wear for anything, that highlights her features - green  **would**  suit, but maybe something with patches of different colour…_

The day that it’s delivered, his sons’ report is positive - but also  _intriguing_.

“She liked the scarf, as far as I can tell… then she and Bailey started talking about  _Earth_  alcohol. Like, specific types…”

“Hmm.”

She’s catching on, it seems, and dangerous as that is, Thane can’t resist playing the game - searching for something that fits the descriptions and ordering it along with a box of decadent chocolates, hoping to amuse her further.

It seems to work, but the next gift isn’t something for  _her_ , per say, and it’s something he’s been planning since the day Taylor had been drugged.

He and Kolyat leave the apartment at roughly 03:30 that Thursday morning, wanting to get to the Duct Rats’ little safe zone well before Willow would be there.

They make it through the path and into the clearing without being detected, and it’s clear they’re all just waking up; Mouse noticing them first and shaking off sleep, rousing the others when it’s clear they’re there for a reason.

“Mouse.” Thane greets, nodding to him, then to the others, “Kids. I apologize for waking you so early, but I wished to be here and gone well before Officer Shepard arrives. I have gifts for you all.”

“What’s all this about, Krios?” Mouse questions, standing protectively in front of the other kids - and Thane finds himself proud of how the former duct rat has grown.

“An apology, if you will. For the stress my initial reappearance must have caused - and for the trouble with Taylor, caused by Kolyat’s appearance. I’m sure you’ve guessed, but Kolyat is my son - although he applied to C-Sec without my permission.”

“Sorry for almost shooting you.” Taylor speaks up, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Kolyat only shakes his head, “It was my own fault, don’t worry about it.”

“I also wanted to take the time to inform you all that I have decided to call off the hits.” Thane draws their attention back to him, calmly folding his hands behind his back, “Officer Shepard is a remarkable woman, and I will not be the one to rob the world of her presence.”

Silence reigns for a moment - and then he stumbles slightly when the younger children cheer and attach themselves to his legs, startled by their exuberance.

“That’s great!”

“Thank you Mr. Krios!”

“You  _like_  her!”

That last voice makes him freeze, looking down into wide eyes and a toothy grin. “Pardon?”

Meaghen grins wider, giggling, “You  _like_  Miss Willow! Don’t you?”

“I suppose I do.” he muses aloud, earning even  _more_  excited reactions from the children.

“Have you talked to her?!”

“Have you told her?!”

“Are you getting married?? Can we come??”

“Slow  _down_ , guys.” Mouse pulls the kids back, though even he’s grinning, “So… what’s the word, Krios?”

Thane coughs, doing his best to remain neutral, “I have… not yet spoken to her, no. I find myself unsure of how to proceed, really. I have been sending her gifts - gloves and a scarf, among other things - but am not yet brave enough to face her. Understand, children, that my position is a strange one. And I would ask that you keep my identity a secret, for the time being - and that you not tell her that Kolyat is my son.”

All of the kids share a look, but it’s Meera who speaks up and says “Of course, but… you  _are_  going to tell her, right?”

“When the time is right.” he promises, and the turian looks relieved, “Now then - I’ll leave you all to dig through the box at your leisure, but one thing first. Mouse, I have an upgrade for your omni - and I have new omnis for both Danielle and Taylor.”

“What?!”

“You’re sixteen, are you not?” Thane pulls the bracelets from his pocket, smiling carefully at the teens, “It’s time you had these - I’ve programmed my number into both, should you ever have need of me. Just promise you will not pass it to Shepard.”

“We promise!” they exclaim, and then he’s being hugged again - body stiffening for a moment at the contact before he manages to relax, gingerly hugging them back.

 _This was a good idea._  He thinks,  _And perhaps… a good start._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

  **Thane - Saturday - 14:15**

Kolyat’s report on how the dog plush had done is about what Thane had expected, though he defends his choice with a wave.

“It was either that or an incredibly unfortunately looking varren, Kolyat, I did my best. At least I was able to make her laugh.”

Thane is about to step out to scope for an ‘office’ when his omni lights up, blinking with an  _urgent_  message from Taylor.

“Taylor,” he greets as he opens the link, already prepared to head to the teens aid, “Everything is well?”

_“Ish? Mostly? Need your help, Krios. Come meet me near Zakera Cafe ASAP.”_

Taylor closes the link then, and Thane shifts into the shadows - unsure what’s happened but not wanting to waste any time, swiftly making his way towards the Cafe.

The teenager stands just outside the entrance, staring at his omni and tapping his foot, and Thane feels only a brief moment of chagrin when Taylor jumps at his sudden appearance. “ _Jesus_ , Krios! Don’t just jump out of the shadows like that!”

Thane doesn’t bother reminding him of his profession, every sense alert for whatever enemy might be lurking, “What’s going on, Taylor?”

“Oh, nothing big, really. Just wanted to see if the omni worked! You never know, couldn’t given us a fake number, right? Anyways-”

Thane stops listening then, gaze pausing in its sweep of the cafe when he spots a head of  _very_  familiar copper hair - and Danielle sitting across from her, looking nervous.

_Ah. That’s the game then._

“Excuse me.” he steps away from Taylor for a moment, catching one of the waitress’ as she walks by, “I’d like to purchase a coffee for a lady - the C-Sec officer at that table, there, if that’s alright.”

“Ah, Officer Shepard - she’s one of our regulars. No problem, hun,” the asari smiles, taking the chit, “Did you want me to leave a name?”

“No, thank you. Simply a token of appreciation.”  _Affection_ , he doesn’t say, though he’s thinking it.

“Alright, will do!”

Thane watches as the waitress heads behind the counter to make the coffee, then turns to find Taylor giving him a  _very_  unimpressed look.

“You’re  _really_  not going to go talk to her?” he whines, pouting, and Thane can’t even be annoyed at him.

“I am not ready to reveal myself yet, Taylor.” he tells him, the same thing he keeps telling Kolyat.

Taylor’s gaze shifts, lips twitching suddenly, “You, uh, might not get the choice.”

Thane tenses, then reacts; slipping away into the shadows despite Taylor’s calls, not chancing to look behind him until he’s well out of range.

There’s calls on his omni, but he ignores them, returning to his original task and pushing the thoughts of  _what if_  from his mind.

 _There is one last gift to be delivered,_  he reminds himself, striding further into the dark streets of the Citadel,  _Perhaps, after that, I might find my courage._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day!! ♥ Hopefully I'm still doing okay with this thing ;;


	6. Accidental Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kolyat’s sick of his father being stubborn... but he definitely didn’t mean to blurt out his identity, either. All he can do is try to explain his father’s quirks... and hope he can convince Thane to stop hiding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehehe. Enjoy guys! ♥

**Kolyat - Monday - 09:00**

Kolyat’s late Monday morning, as he’d already let Willow know he would be; the kids had wanted to see him to ask if Thane had made any progress over the weekend after their failed attempt at a sneak-date.

_Unfortunately not. I see where my stubbornness comes from, now._

He’s not sure  _why_  Thane is so hesitant to approach her -  _won’t waiting longer make it **worse**? Ugh, I don’t get it…_

“Ah, there you are, kid! Man of the hour.”

Kolyat pauses at the Captain’s call, giving him a confused look, “Good morning, Captain. Everything alright?”

“Peachy-keen, kid. Y’know, never would’ve thought it.”

Panic rises, wondering what’s been discovered. “Thought… what?”

Bailey crosses his arms, smirking, “That you’d have a thing for  _older women_.”

Kolyat blinks. Blinks again, then frowns. “I… what? I don’t. Where did  _that_  come from?”

“No, huh? Well, you’ll see soon enough… another package showed up for Willow, I think she was just opening it.”

“Fun.” he says, continuing his trek inside, incredibly confused by the looks he’s getting as he walks.  _Okay, seriously, what is going on?_

He doesn’t know what this gift is - it’s the last one Thane had planned, and he wouldn’t say  _what_ he was sending - so when he reaches the desk and see’s what Shepard’s holding, he nearly starts cursing out loud.

_Father, are you kidding me?!_

“Morning, Kolyat.” Willow’s gaze doesn’t leave the item - looped over her fingers so she can tilt it, watch the way the colours shift.

It’s a bracelet of drell-made beads - hard to make, rare to find for sale, and usually only sold in a set of three.

That Thane had sent her an entire bracelet  _made_  of them - and not just knock-off beads either, but  _genuine_ , luminous, iridescent beads that shifted colour and tone depending on the lighting, sparkling at certain angles - was  _astonishing_ , given the meaning behind them.

_He’s basically declared himself and he hasn’t even **spoken**  to her properly. Sweet merciful Kalahira, father, if you care  **that much**  for her, stop being a damned coward!_

“One of the girls in Accounting said these beads are drell made.” Willow’s voice snaps him from his thoughts, and he feels his heart drop into his stomach.

_Kalahira please, please don’t let her know what they mean-_

“Kolyat, did  _you_  send me the gifts?”

“What?!  _No_! My  _Dad_  did, he-!”

Kolyat slaps a hand over his mouth, freezing. Willow just stares at him, mouth open and eyes wide.

_Shit, shit, shit! Not how that was supposed to come out!_

Willow recovers first, clearing her throat and setting the bracelet back inside its box. Then she stands, motioning for him to follow, “Come with me. I think we need to talk.”

Kolyat only nods, following quietly after - stepping into the interrogation room she chooses and taking a seat,  _nervous_  like he had been when he’d first been assigned as her trainee.

Willow closes the door but doesn’t lock it, he notes, pacing back and forth before the table for a moment, one hand pressed to her mouth, the other planted on her hip.

“Okay.” she stops pacing, scowls for a moment, then starts pacing again, “So… your  _dad_  is the one who’s been sending me gifts? The other drell I saw you with way back?”

“Yes.” Kolyat sighs. There’s absolutely no point in lying about it, now - not about certain things, anyways. “He saw you that day, too. He, ah… he thinks you’re pretty.”

That stops her for a moment, giving him a surprised look. “Really? Wouldn’t have thought drell would find humans attractive… I don’t know, anyways-”

“Do  _you_  think  _drell_  are attractive?” he asks, curious - if she doesn’t, better to tell Thane  _now_.

“I hadn’t really thought about it before.” she admits, biting at lip, “But… yes? Maybe? But Kolyat, just thinking I’m  _pretty_  from seeing me once really doesn’t seem like enough of a reason to start sending me gifts?”

“It’s not just that.” Kolyat sucks in a breath, tries to calm down, “He likes your spirit - your personality. He always listens intently when I talk about you, Shepard - about the training, and the way you handle assignments. About how you look after the duct rats.”

“The kids said that Mouse knew him, before?”

“Ah, he lived here, years ago - he travels a lot for work. He… kind of looked after them the way you do, now.”

Willow’s staring over his head, lips pursed. “They also said he was the one who brought me to Huerta - and I’m assuming, now, that he was the one they  _tried_  to drag to the Cafe to meet me?”

“The same one. Father’s a bit of an insomniac - he tends to take walks late at night or early in the morning, which is when he stumbled on you.” Kolyat grimaces, shrugs, “He keeps saying he’s ‘not ready’, so he panicked a bit when he realized what was going on, I think.”

“What about the datapad with the info on that merc? Was that him, to?”

“No,” Kolyat lies, because that would have given away  _far_  too much information, “He said that was already with you when he found you.”

Willow scowls, and he can tell she’s still suspicious - probably still a little confused and bewildered, honestly, and he can’t blame her.

“Okay, so I… kind of get it. But if we was interested, why didn’t he just… I don’t know, come  _talk_  to me? Or ask me out or something? Not just send vague gifts and then run away?!”

_Because he was originally hired to kill you and he’s shy as hell when it comes to women he likes?_

“My father is a widower, Shepard.” Kolyat folds his hands on the table, speaking quietly, “My mother died when I was eight - and in the ten years since then, not  _once_  have I seen him interested in anyone else. And then you came along. I’ve never seen him so invested, so interested in learning about someone, as he was you - he’s always thrilled by my stories of work, more so when they involve you.”

“He’s just… very shy, when it comes to women. Or so it seems; I’ve never seen him act like this before. He has said, time and again, that he met my mother on a fluke, that he had no idea what it was doing but somehow things worked out. The same can be said for you… my being hired at C-Sec and becoming your trainee was a fluke, Shepard. That he ever spotted you, beforehand… well.”

“Ten years?” Willow breathes, running a hand through her hair, “Wow… I mean, I don’t get what’s so fascinating about  _me_ , but… I’m flattered. Honestly.”

“He’s a good man, Shepard.” Kolyat tries for a smile, hopes he succeeds, “He’s been through a lot, and he’s not always the easiest to deal with… but he’s a good man. With your permission, I’d like to try and arrange a  _proper_  meeting. But if it still seems to strange, or you’re not interested. I understand - and so will he.”

_He might be heartbroken, but he’d understand._

“Promise there won’t be any ambushes?” Willow jokes, making him look up in surprise.

She still looks hesitant, unsure, but her lips are quirked, and she doesn’t look as freaked out as she had before.

“Are you…?”

“I need to think about it.” she answers, tapping her foot, “It’s not a  _no_ , but… just. I don’t know. Can I get back to you, Kolyat? My brain’s just a bit overwhelmed, right now.”

“Of course. I’m sorry. I just wanted everything in the  _open_ , and… for people to not spread rumors. Because no offence? But… you’re not my type, Shepard.”

 _That_  makes her laugh, grin stretching as she motions him up, opening the door, “Don’t worry, kid; you’re a little  _young_  for me. I like my men a bit older.”

“Perfect.” he laughs, following her back out to the desk, relieved at least that she’s not freaking out.

“Right. So. Didn’t have any assignments today, anyways, so tell you what.” Willow locks her terminal and scoops up the box, holding it tightly to her chest, “I’m going to head home and… think, for a while. Ask Bailey if you can sit in on another interrogation, okay? Otherwise, whenever he gives you the okay, you can head home.”

“Okay.” Kolyat pauses, calling out “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier!”

“Don’t worry about it!” she calls back, waving as she leaves the station.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Kolyat spends the rest of the day wondering how, exactly, to tell Thane that he messed up.

_Did I really mess up, though? I mean, Father would’ve needed to show himself **eventually** , right?? I just… helped speed things up, a little. I hope._

He ends up staying at work until the usual 17:30, nodding to Bailey on his way out and slightly dreading the conversation he’s about to have.

_Okay. So, Father, I told Willow you were the one sending her gifts. And the one that brought her to Huerta. And the one the kids tried to ambush with a date. Good news is, I didn’t tell her you were the assassin originally hired to kill she and her cousin!_

_...let’s not say that part._

Kolyat sighs, palming the lock on the door and stepping into the apartment, ready to face the music.

He pauses when his omni goes off, Thane coming out of the bathroom just as he opens the message, staring slightly wide eyed.

“Shepard wants to meet you.” he blurts, and he swears he’s never seen his father look so terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments (especially comments!) make my day! ♥


	7. Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow goes home early to think things through - and decides to give her mysterious admirer a shot. Surely he deserves at least one date and a thank you, right?
> 
> Thane spends the next days quietly panicking... until a small army of children drag him out shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly, the burnout wasn't as bad as I thought... chapters will still be coming a bit slower, but I'm not dead just yet! Kids and shopping shenanigans, oh my! Kudos to @lynngo-art for the inspiration for the kids part and @kittenkakt for betaing! Enjoy! ♥

**Willow - Monday - 10:00**

Willow stands beneath the spray of the shower until it runs cold, near shivering as she reluctantly steps out and reaches for her towel.

Her mind is a jumbled mess - thoughts still racing, twisting around each other as she tries to puzzle through them, mixed up because of the  _emotional_  aspect to the problem she’s trying to solve.

_Wait, no, stop that._  Willow shakes her head, scowling as she goes searching for clothes - ending up in one of her rattiest N7 t-shirts and a pair of leggings,  _You work too much, this isn’t a case you’re trying to get to the bottom of. This is…_

_This is Kolyat’s father having a crush on you, and sending you really sweet, thoughtful gifts - even though he’s never met you properly._

It’s a little strange, incredibly flattering, and  _just_  off enough that her nerves are still slightly frayed.

_Okay. Breathe, Willow. Think about this logically._  She heads out to the kitchen and yanks the fridge door open, dubiously eyeing the contents before pulling out the wine and chocolates,  _Go through it like you would a case, start at the beginning._

_First, it is **entirely**  plausible that he spotted me in the Cafe that day that I spotted  **them** , since I wasn’t exactly hiding. _Willow cracks open the wine and pours herself a glass - scanning it first out of habit and then taking a sip, surprised and pleased by the light taste of it.

_Second, developing a crush on someone based on stories told about them **does happen**  - infatuation is a thing._ She pauses, a chocolate held over her mouth,  _Gods, I hope Kolyat hasn’t exaggerated anything… his father might be expecting some badass super cop._

Willow pops the chocolate in her mouth and chews on the thought for a moment, swallowing almost grumpily and downing half of her glass.  _No, he’s not the type to be dramatic - I’m sure he’s just told him I’m badass, not super._

_Anyways, back on track._  She empties her wineglass and pours herself another, carrying it and the chocolate over to the couch and flopping gracelessly back onto the cushions,  _Third, the gifts have been very, very nice - tasteful, and **useful** , even._ She eyes the gloves sitting on the counter, the scarf hanging beside the door, and smiles a little,  _Man has good taste - and he’s been respectful of my space, sending them to work._

_Fourth - and a **big**  point to Mr. Krios - he’s gone out of his way to help the kids, and  **they**  like him. So that’s a big,  **big**  point, actually. And that dog plush  **did**  make me laugh harder than I have in ages._

Not to mention she’s been cuddling the damn thing to sleep every night, because it’s soft and cozy - not that she’ll be telling anyone that, anytime soon.

The bracelet… Willow chews on her lip for a moment, glancing at the box still sitting on the table.  _The bracelet is beautiful, and **definitely**  expensive… but I have a feeling it means a lot more than I know._

She could look it up, but she’s almost afraid to.  _And… it’d be more fun, to ask Mr. Krios about it. Eventually. Shit, Kolyat didn’t tell me his father’s first name… note to self, Willow._

Willow knocks back another glass of wine, hums at the brief buzz before her biotics burn it off, pours herself another one -  _damn good wine, mmmm._

_There **is**  still the matter of the assassin._ She reminds herself, chewing on another chocolate.  _Suspicious that it’s supposed to be a drell assassin that’s after us, and it’s a drell that’s sending me gifts. But we haven’t had any more hints, and the gifts have all been safe… coincidence?_

Willow hopes it is, because the more she thinks about it, the more she wants to at least  _meet_  Mr Krios, properly.  _I owe him at least one date and a thank you, if nothing else. And hell… I haven’t dated in years. Why not give the guy a chance?_

Her omni blinking with a call interrupts her train of thought, answering it immediately when she sees it’s Arisa -  _shit don’t tell me the assassin **has**  done something-_

“Arisa, hey, everything alright?”

_“Perfectly! Garrus made Spectre!”_

“What?! Holy crap! Good job Garrus!”

The turian chuckles in the background,  _“Thanks, Willow. There is some **other**  news, as well.”_

“Oh?” Willow sits up straight, tucking her legs beneath her, “What’s happening?”

_“We’ve recruited a few more people for the squad - stumbled into them, really. A powerful biotic, a master thief, and a krogan!”_

_“The krogan’s name is **Grunt**.” _ Garrus chuckles,  _“He calls Shepard his ‘battlemaster’.”_

_“Well, he calls **you** his battlemaster’s mate, so we’re even!”_ Arisa snarks back, and Willow freezes.

“Wait… wait wait  _wait_ , are you two  _finally_  dating?!”

_“...maaaaaaaaaaybe?”_

“GOOD! It’s about damn time! Congrats!” Willow shoves away a brief pang of jealousy, laughing, “Keep me updated, you two! Geez!”

_“We will! Anything new on your end?”_

Willow eyes the wine and chocolate, considers for a moment. “Nope, same old boring stuff on this end. Still working on those cases. I promise I’ll give you a call if anything happens.”

_“Good! Talk to you later, Willow!”_

“Bye, ‘Risa, bye, Garrus.”

Willow flops backwards again once the calls ended, staring at the ceiling for a moment. Then she turns on the tv, eats some more chocolate, and slowly finishes the bottle of wine.

She waits till the time Kolyat should be getting off work, making a decision as she types.

_Okay, Kolyat, I’m game. Is your father willing to meet for brunch?_

Willow sits back and closes her eyes, relaxing… then jerks back up when her omni pings.

_Father says yes, but not yet… I’ll keep you posted. Thank you, Willow._

Willow snorts, laying backwards again.  _You’ve made your move, Willow. Time to sit back and wait for Mr. Krios to make his._

* * *

 

**Thane - Wednesday - 12:00**

Thane spends a day and a half puzzling and planning, only to scrap the plans and start all over again.

He had not expected to be revealed nearly so soon - and he’s not sure, now, if he can face the woman he’s come to admire so.

_“Father, please.”_  Kolyat had scolded,  _“You have plenty to offer - Shepard wouldn’t want to meet you if she didn’t think you sounded interesting. You’ll be fine.”_

_“I don’t know what to say to her, son. Your father is talented at many things, but ‘wooing’ is not one of them.”_  Thane had paused, adding lamely,  _“Besides, I have nothing to wear.”_

_“Are you serious?”_

_“I have one pair of casual clothes and my assassin’ gear - neither of which is suitable for a brunch date with a woman such as Willow Shepard.”_

Kolyat had dismissed the worry, saying he was overthinking things -  _Willow won’t care what you’re wearing, Father_  - but Thane would not budge.

If he was going to woo Willow Shepard, and succeed, he would need to do it  _right_.

Being a coward, however, will get him nowhere, and if clothing is a necessity… then he’ll need to go shopping.

So when Kolyat steps into the apartment that Wednesday - home for lunch, Thane assumes, and to pester him for an answer - he beats him to it, tapping his fingers nervously against the table.

“Kolyat, I have made a decision. Please tell Officer Shepard that I would be honored, to accompany her for brunch. Whatever day works best for her - provided I have time to acquire some clothing.”

“Good, because I already set up the time - tomorrow at Day Cycle, 11:00. And I’ve got you covered for shopping.” Kolyat steps inside, holding the door wide open, “Ok, kids,  _get’im_.”

“What-?!”

Thane doesn’t get the chance to move before Willow’s gang of kids has rushed into the apartment and surrounded him, Taylor and Danielle grabbing onto his arms while the younger ones form a circle.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Krios!” Meaghen beams, leading the way, “We’ll make sure you look  _handsome_  for your date with Miss Willow!”

“And no, you’re not getting out of this.” Danielle says sweetly, and Thane wonders if the blonde teen isn’t more cunning than he’d have expected.

He looks to Kolyat for help, but his son only holds the door wider and waves as he’s escorted out, “Have fun. Taylor, keep me updated.”

“Roger!”

“Traitor.” Thane calls over his shoulder -  _jokingly_ , because even he finds himself amused by the childrens antics, terrified as he still is.

“Uh huh. See you later, Father!”

Thane glances at the kids leading the way, at Danielle and Taylor on each side, and sighs, relenting. “Alright, kids. Where are you taking me?”

“Kolyat recommended it! He said it’s right up your alley - or the type of clothes you’d want to blend in, anyways.” Taylor grins, “You’ll see!”

_Kalahira, grant me the strength to make it through this expedition. I have a feeling that there is yet a struggle ahead._

* * *

 

  _Struggle_ , Thane realizes later, is not the proper word.  _Chaos_  suits the current situation much,  _much_  better.

Meera and Case seem to have been assigned to making sure he doesn’t slip out while the others aren’t looking, the turians looking quite proud in their designation as ‘guards’. Meaghen, Rina and Charlie are poking around the area nearest him - looking at shoes and accessories, but clearly mostly there for the entertainment.

Danielle and Taylor keep disappearing into the racks of clothing, returning to throw outfits at him before once more vanishing from sight.

_They’d make good assassins,_  he thinks idly, though it’s not something hee would ever voice - that is a life he would not ever wish upon anyone else.

As it is, his arms are slowly getting sore from holding all the clothing the teens have been throwing at him - and he’s grateful when one of the hanar proprietor's floats over to offer a basket.

“This one is impressed by the childrens energy.” the hanar comments as he tucks the clothes into the basket, and Thane can detect the  _slightest_  hint of annoyance in the calm tone, “This one will start a change room for you, sere…?”

“Krios.” Thane answers, nodding, “My thanks.”

“Mr Krios?” Meaghen tugs at his pant leg, blinking up at him, “What size shoe are you?”

“Here - let me handle that part, Meaghan.” Thane pats her on the head, making her giggle as he follows her back to the shoe racks to select a the proper size. “I suppose two pairs would suffice…”

“Okay!” Danielle pops back out of the rows of clothing, two fancier sets cradled in her arms, “I think we’re done! Time to try them on!”

“Is this really necessary?” Thane sighs, reluctantly taking the two outfits and letting himself be ushered into the change room, “Surely I don’t need more than one pair of pants?”

“ _Thane_!” Danielle gasps, pressing a hand to her heart as though he’d wounded her, “It is a  _sacred rule_! You  _can’t_  wear the same thing on more than one date! You  _can’t_!”

“Uh… since when is it a  _sacred rule_ , Danielle?” Taylor quips, earning a sharp elbow in the side.

“Hush you, I say it is. Now shoo, Thane! And make sure you show us  _everything_!”

Thane shakes his head, chuckling quietly as he steps into the room and closes the curtain. He momentarily debates trying to sneak out through the back of the stall -  _fabric walls, foolish, I could cut through and repay the owner anonymously_  - but the excited chatter of the kids outside and the knowledge that, truthfully, they were doing this for  _his_  benefit, makes him cast those thoughts aside.

_The children are enjoying themselves, and… Shepard may appreciate the effort, truly. This is a small price to pay, I suppose._

Giving one last sigh, Thane strips out of his usual black garments and begins the process of trying on the outfits the teens had gathered for him - slacks and dress shirts, cardigans and more casual sweaters - stepping out in every new combination to get their opinion.

The younger kids cheer for every outfit, but Danielle plays picky, sending Taylor to get different accessories and colours.

“Too long - it doesn’t fit your torso right.”

“Those pants just  _fit_  weird, swap’em.”

“ _Ugh_ , okay, that’s my bad, that is  _not_  your colour, Krios.”

Thane has lost track of how long they’ve been in the shop by the time he’s picked out ten casual outfits and two pairs of shoes, hesitating before trying on the fancier garbs the teens had picked out.

Danielle makes a face when he steps out in the black ensemble, tilting her head. “Hmmmm… something’s off.”

Taylor makes an exasperated noise, “It looks  _fine_.”

“I donno, the belt’s just not doing it for me… go find me a black scarf, Taylor. Krios, loose the belt.”

Thane chuckles as Taylor disappears back into the store, untying the belt and swapping it for the scarf he’s handed in its place.

Danielle claps her hands together, looking delighted, “Awesome! Okay, I think we’re set! You’ll be dressed to impress!”

“I think this was more for your entertainment then it was my benefit, Danielle.” the drell chuckles, more confident now that he’s back in his own clothing - the outfits they’d picked looped over one arm to carry to the checkout.

“Naaaaw. Well, partially. But you  _did_  tell Kolyat you needed clothes.” the teen smiles, shrugs, “We just wanted to help.”

“And so you did. My thanks.”

_Now then. I supposed I have run out of excuses… let us hope that Officer Shepard approves._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	8. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time; Thane’s as prepared as he can be. There’s no running away, this time.
> 
> But a first date with Willow Shepard is much more nerve-wracking then you’d think it would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The date chapter... need I say more?

**Thane - Thursday - 10:30**

Above all else, Thane appreciates punctuality; one would not make it far in his line of work if they were to arrive late for their hits, after all.

Officer Shepard clearly believes the same - where he’d hoped to arrive early and secure a table, she’s beaten him to it - and, as though sensing his presence, she looks up and spots him at nearly the same time, banishing any lingering thoughts of retreat.

Thane had done his best to dress as unassumingly as possible - a soft sweater and a pair of slacks paired with black shoes, feeling strange without any hidden layers of armor. Willow is a detective - she’d have noticed even the thinnest armor, the weakest shield, and he hadn’t wanted to risk his chances.

Willow herself is dressed more casually then he’s ever seen her - a loose white shirt with a fitted brown leather jacket, dark blue skinny jeans and, typically, black combat boots. There’s the telltale bump of a concealed pistol beneath her jacket - civilians would never notice it, the tiniest inconsistency in the way the jacket sits - but he’d have been surprised if she didn’t carry a pistol at all times, truthfully.

She’s also wearing the scarf he had sent her, which he hopes is a good sign.

_Intelligent and prepared. A large part of what drew you in in the first place, Krios._

_Alright, enough stalling._

Thane takes one last breath, straightens his shoulders, then heads inside - nodding towards Willow at the hostess’ greeting, even as his gaze remains on the redhead - keeping his gait loose and casual, moving with perhaps half of his usual grace.

Willow stands to meet him - setting aside a cup of coffee, he notes, lips quirking - and he comes to a stop a few feet before her, unable to stop himself from glancing her over

It’s their first time meeting, properly - certainly the first time he’s been this close to her when she’s awake, that day she’d collapsed not counting - and he realizes that she’s a few inches shorter than him, that up close her hair really is a deep copper, strands catching light and turning to fire - that her eyes are a brighter blue than he thinks he’s ever seen.

Willow’s grinning - expression a bit guarded, curious but hesitant - and she clears her throat after a moment, extending a hand. “Nice to finally  _meet_  you, Mr. Krios. I’ll admit I was surprised when Kolyat told me it was you, sending me gifts - I hope he hasn’t exaggerated to much in his stories of work.”

“Ah, you have no need to worry about that, Ms. Shepard. Kolyat is not the type to over exaggerate.” Thane takes her hand, admires her grip for a moment, then hesitates before holding out the small bouquet he’d been hiding behind his back, “Here - I had not  _intended_  to bring another gift, but the children insisted.”

Willow freezes for a moment before laughing, reaching out to take the flowers and shaking her head with a wry grin, “Hah, I believe it - you’ve got those kids singing your praises, already.” She lifts the bouquet as though to smell it - stopping mid-motion and lowering it with an almost embarrassed grimace, “Thank you, though - they’re pretty.”

Thane smiles - a small smile as he relaxes, realizing that Willow is as nervous and off balance as he is, if the way she’s shuffling is any hint, “I must admit, I know nothing of this restaurant - but going by the delicious aromas coming from the kitchen, I would say it is a good choice.”

Willow brightens at that, and he knows he’d made the right call when she nods, motioning to the table and stepping around it to get back to her seat “This is one of my favorite breakfast places - I don’t get to come here often, so I was hoping you wouldn’t mind the choice.”

“Not at all; you were kind enough to humor my shy attempts at gifts, and to meet me today. The least I could do was allow you control over  _how_  the meeting would take place.”

“A gentleman, huh?” she says, slipping into her seat with a grin, setting the bouquet gently down on the edge of the table, “Alright, Mr. Krios. You’ve got my attention. Let’s say we get some food, talk for a while, then go from there?”

“Sounds perfectly enjoyable,” Thane says, happy when she laughs again, sitting as he says “And please, call me Thane.”

“Alright, Thane.” she agrees, lips quirked, “But only if you call me Willow.”

_Thank you, Kalahira._

 

* * *

 

  **Willow - Thursday - 11:00**

 

Willow’s automatic instinct to bury her nose in the bouquet is a hard one to squash, though she manages - instead complementing them and thanking Thane for the gesture.

They both sit and order breakfast, and though she knows drell are Levo, she’s amused when he order a very  _human_  styled omelette.

Thane must see her amusement, because he smirks and lifts his mug, saying only “Kolyat has me rather attached to human food, since I arrived back on the Citadel. Though I could not survive off cereal every morning, as he tends to.”

“That  _does_  seem like a thing Kolyat would do.” she agrees, sipping at her own coffee, and they lapse easily into talk of the younger drell - Willow praising his skills, Thane grateful that he has, what he calls a ‘very competent and caring instructor’.

Willow notes him grimacing a little whenever he takes a sip of his coffee, lifting an eyebrow and questioning “Thane, if you don’t like coffee you could have gotten something else?”

Thane seems startled, setting the mug down with a sheepish cough. “Ah, decaf coffee is normally alright, but Kolyat has told me of your…  _attachment_  to coffee, and I thought perhaps the blend here would be amicable. Alas…”

She laughs a little, sitting back when the waitress arrives with their food and looking up at her, “Could we get two teas as well, please?”

“Of course, miss.”

“Thank you.” Willow grins at Thane, shrugging, “You tried coffee for my sake - drinking tea will  _hardly_  kill me.”

Thane nods, though his responding grin seems a little wry, “Indeed. My thanks. If I may say, this all smells delicious.”

“Dig in! I love this place.”

Willow’s starving, but she’s also still incredibly curious about Thane - even his name is interesting, and she rolls it around in her mind, finding that she likes the sound of it.

And the whole point of this was to get to  _know_  him, right? To form an impression. Better to get down to business before she devoured her food.

“So, Thane… you know what I do for a living.” Willow spears a piece of bacon with her fork, then points it at him, “Where do you work?”

“I’m an Investment Manager, actually; self employed.” Thane carefully cuts off a chunk of omelette and pops it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully for a moment, “That’s why I travel so often, and why I only tend to live in one place for a few years. I go wherever my clients need me.”

“Makes sense.” Willow munches on the bacon, eyes unconsciously drifting to his arms as she thinks - more so, to the muscles she can see even through his casual cardigan, the toned arms built from hours of training, “I guess you like to work out then, huh?”

“I do, yes. I find yoga calming - and one must be in at least decent physical shape to be safe, travelling from planet to planet.”

“That’s true, I guess. What hobbies do you have?”

“I like to read - mostly philosophy and old plays. I am quite familiar with your Earth’s William Shakespeare, for instance. I find his plays fascinating.”

Willow laughs, nodding as she butters a piece of toast, “That they are.”

“And what of you, Willow? What hobbies keep you occupied when you are not protecting the Citadel?”

“Honestly, I’m a bit of a workaholic - I don’t really  _have_  any hobbies.” she downs the toast in five neat bites, thinking, “Unless you count looking after the duct rats, I guess. But specially lately, I’ve been busy training Kolyat and working on some old cases, so I haven’t even really…  _done_  anything but work.”

“Old cases?” Thane inquires, cutting off another piece of his omelette.

“From about ten years ago, yeah - a number of bad criminals were taken down, but no one ever IDed the killer. And every time I get close, the suspect I’m investigating turns up  _dead_. It’s really frustrating.”

She hadn’t meant to babble, but she watches his expressions carefully, just to be sure.

Thane looks perplexed for a moment - then he takes a sip of his tea and grins at her, a soft expression that she wasn’t expecting “You’ll figure it out - from what Kolyat tells me, and from what I’ve seen of your manner today, you are not the type to give up easily, Willow Shepard.”

Willow blushes, startled by the compliment - smiling like an idiot and trying to hide it behind her coffee. “Thank you, Thane. Here’s hoping.”

“You are very welcome. The food  _is_  delicious, by the way; you have very good taste.”

“Hah, I told you. I’m glad you like it.”

They talk a while longer, ordering refills on their drinks even after their food is gone, and Willow finds herself enjoying his presence, his way of thinking.

They talk about the kids, and when she jokingly mentions Meaghen’s fondness of her hair Thane surprises her with a compliment - “Your hair is lovely, Willow - a very unique shade. Wearing it long suits you” - and she blushes again and thanks him.

They’ve been in the restaurant nearly 3 hours when Thane’s omni goes off, and he opens the message and frowns, sighing reluctantly. “Forgive me, Willow; this is a call I cannot put off, and it may take some time. But it has been a true  _delight_ , spending this time with you; thank you again for agreeing to meet me.”

“Have you seen the new Blasto movie?” Willow blurts, because her brain had panicked; she’s really enjoyed herself, and she finds herself wanting to see him again.

Thane blinks, momentarily startled. “I have not. Why do you ask?”

“I think it’s still playing in the Citadel Screens. Maybe we could go see it?” she feels ridiculously shy, like a teenager with a crush, but it’s a giddy sort of feeling, “How about next Thursday? Dinner and a movie?”

“I… I would like that.” he agrees after a moment, smiling openly now, standing and offering her a hand up as well, “Here, this is my omni code - so that Kolyat will no longer have to play attendant. We can discuss the details later?”

“Sounds good.” Willow programs in his code and sends her own over, blinking when he takes her hand again and lifts it, pressing his lips to the back and making a tingle race up her arm.

“Until later, then.” Thane murmurs, releasing her with a smile.

Willow only realizes he’d paid for both of their meals once he’s out of sight, and she’s grinning as she grabs the bouquet and heads out herself, trying not to seem  _to_  giddy.

_Okay, remember, still a slightly weird situation - just because it’s your first date in two years doesn’t mean you need to get excited. Even if it was really nice, and fun, and Thane’s an interesting person to talk to…_

Her omni pings as she walks, and she opens the comm channel with a hum, “Hey, Arisa.”

_“Where have you been?! I’ve been calling you for two hours!”_

“Oops, sorry, I had my omni on mute - I was on a date.”

_“You were - with **who**?!”_

“Relax! I’ll call you once I’m home!”

Willow ends the call then, shaking her head.

And once she’s safely in the privacy of her apartment, she gives in and buries her nose in the flowers, face flushed and heart pounding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day!! ♥


	9. Impromptu Double-Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The planned second date turns into an impromptu double date when Arisa and Garrus show up. Need I say more?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! Have an update! Shout-out to @ariannadi for betaing and @lynngo-art to hopefully survive her studying and exams - you can do it Lynn!! /o/ Also I'm so sorry I haven't responded to comments yet gonna go do that now but... holy crap the response last time ;-----; ILU guys you know that? ♥

**Willow - Tuesday - 10:00**

Willow spends the next week in a sort of dazed happiness; no matter what happens at work, what missions or patrols she’s sent on, nothing can bring her down from her high.

And, Kolyat tells her quietly, Thane’s been the exact same way.

It’s a strange feeling, to be diving back into dating again - she’d broken off all relationships when she’d been diagnosed with the AEND, and even with the cure looming ahead she’d never bothered to jump back into the market.

Clearly, life had had another plan for getting her back into action.

Overall, nothing’s changed - she goes to work, does her job, let’s Kolyat handle as much as she can to give him a good taste for everything, and works on the old cases.

She  _does_  message Thane, on and off - sporadic so that she’s not bombarding him, little updates on Kolyat's progress, opinions on things they’d talked about, details about the upcoming date.

 _Dinner first, then movie? There’s only one showing of Blasto that day._  Willow messages during lunch on the Tuesday, sipping at a coffee.

_Sounds perfectly reasonable. Have you tried the restaurant near the theatre? A Taste of Eos?_

_Ooo, the new fusion place? I haven’t - we should go!_

_You read my mind, Willow._

Willow grins, swatting at Kolyat when he gives her a knowing look and typing off another response,  _Well, I **am**  a detective. Speaking of - was everything alright with your client?_

She’d meant to ask before, but it had seemed somewhat private - now, though, her curiosites gotten the best of her.

_Perfectly fine. He was disgruntled due to a necessary delay on one of his investments. Suffice to say, I have ended my contract with him; stress is not good for ones health._

“Lunch’s done, Shepard.” Kolyat says, a smirk in his voice “Say hi to Dad for me before you hang up.”

“Smug kid.” Willow mutters, but she’s grinning as she types.

_Gotta head back out into the field - talk to you later. Kolyat says hi._

_Hello, son. May you have an uneventful patrol._

“Alright, let’s get moving. And no more wise cracks.”

“Who, me?” Kolyat rolls his eyes, but his expression opens a bit as they walk, smiling “Hey, Shepard? Thanks, for… y’know.”

Were he human, she’d have reached over to ruffle his hair - as it stands, she claps her hand on his shoulder, squeezing “You’re welcome, hun. I’m just glad he stopped running  _away_.”

Kolyat just laughs.

 

 

* * *

 

 

  **Willow - Thursday - 15:00**

Willow’s humming as she gets ready, for once taking care with her makeup -  _dinner date_  evokes a somewhat  _classier_  image in her head, so she’s done her eyes in soft smokey tones and added in liner - pausing when she goes to grab a lipstick.

 _Neutral or red._  She thinks, taking a step back and squinting at her outfit in the mirror - a black satin tank with black skinny jeans, the same faux-leather jacket as before and a pair of black booties with small heels - considering for a moment. Then she smirks and grabs the red,  _Hell, why not, how often do you wear red lipstick??_

Her hair’s pulled into a high ponytail, and she again wraps the green scarf twice around her neck, liking how it sits with the jacket.

_Okay, I’m all dressed, hair and makeup done, omni’s set to silent, got my pistol… ready to go, I’ll just message Thane and head over-_

The chime goes off and Willow freezes, startled. Doesn’t move for a moment, listening - heading slowly out to the main room when it goes off again, hand going to her pistol.

 _I'm not expecting visitors, or a package._ She readies the pistol, waiting,  _Who the **hell** -_

The chime goes off again, but it’s accompanied by a blip from her optional-recorder, an exasperated sigh followed by “ _Willow, it’s **us!**  We know you’re in there!”_

Willow curses, hitting the lock and holstering her pistol as the door slides open, giving the two on the other side an incredulous look. “Arisa, Garrus… what the  _hell_  are you two doing here?!”

“I told you last week that we were docking on the Citadel for a while! Geez, did you even listen to me?” Arisa huffs, crossing her arms - the movement drawing her attention to her cousins outfit and making her eyebrows shoot up.

“ _Why_  are you dressed like that?” hell, Arisa’s more dressed up then  _she_  is, and even Garrus is in a fancier pair of civies than she’s ever seen him don.

“Uh, because we’re going with you? Dinner and movie? Remember? I swear, Willow-”

“Woah. Woah, woah, back up,  _no_.” Willow crosses her own arms, scowling, “Arisa, you  _never_  mentioned that you planned to show up and crash my date. Are you serious right now??”

“Hey, we’re not crashing your date! We want to see the movie, too!”

“Bullshit, you  _hate_  Blasto.”

“And  _you_  like it?” Arisa jabs back, expression slipping into a very Commander-esque smirk as she steps closer and loops her arm through Willow’s, leaving no debate, “Come on, it’s a double date! It’ll be fun! And we can meet your mystery guy!”

“Who happens to be a drell.” Garrus mumbles, coming up on her other side as they start walking.

“Who’s son happens to be your trainee…”

“Just can’t hurt to be safe, you know?”

Willow groans, wishing she at least had the chance to warn Thane, hoping like hell this won’t chase the man off. “I hate you guys.”

“Sure, sure. Now, let’s go meet your man!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Willow is infinitely grateful that Thane is as patient as he is, because she’s not sure she’d have been able to keep her cool as well as he does in the face of her cousin.

He’s obviously somewhat startled when she appears escorted by the two, but he recovers quickly, introducing himself politely and clearly knowing better than to argue about the impromptu ‘double date’.

They’re seated quickly, and while she and Thane are on one side and Garrus and her cousin are on the other, Arisa spends nearly the whole meal drilling him on  _everything_. Garrus stays mostly silent, playing the role of  _imposing backup_ , and Willow tries and fails to get a word in edgewise.

Really, truthfully, she  _gets_  why she’s worried, she really, really does… but this is not the way she’d have gone about it, and if Thane  _does_  get put off by it… well, she’ll be really upset, actually.

Thankfully, the man takes every question in stride, sipping at the wine he’d ordered and calmly eating his meal.

He has military training insomuch as most drell do, he answers when asked; he’s best with a sniper rifle and biotics, though he uses the skills only when necessary.

“And where is Kolyat’s mother?” Arisa asks part way through dinner, downing half of her wine in one long swallow.

“My wife passed ten years ago, Commander Shepard. Though I miss her dearly, time, as they say, heals wounds, and I have raised Kolyat on my own since.”

“Are you looking for a replacement?”

“I am not.” Thane says, and it’s the first time he’s bristled all evening, “All due respect, Commander, assuming your question is actually  _what are my intentions for your cousin,_  then I am after no more than her company. I enjoy Willow’s presence, and it is a great disservice to her to say that I am interested only in a replacement.”

He glances at her then, looking hesitant, and Willow smiles widely, nodding.  _Said it better than I ever could._

“Alright.” Arisa stabs a piece of steak with her fork, waving it threateningly at the drell, “You know, last boyfriend she had? I  _punched_  him for being a jerk - used biotics, too, pretty sure I broke his nose. All because the asshole couldn’t accept that she’d broken up with him and tried to use her illness as an  _insult_ -”

“ _Arisa_!” Willow hisses, “We haven’t  _talked_  about that.”

The Commander’s mouth snaps shut, looking chagrined; Thane only pauses for a moment, looking at her questioningly.

“Illness?” he questions softly, only curiosity in his tone, and she winces.

“AEND - but it’s slow progressing and there’s a cure in the works that I’m first in line for. It’s not something I tend to blurt out… I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Willow. Do not fret; it changes nothing, so far as I’m concerned.” Thane grins, tapping a hand against his chest, “In fact, I myself suffered from what was meant to be a terminal illness - Keprals. But I was able to have a lung transplant, and here I am. We are ever more alike, Willow Shepard.”

“That we are.” she laughs, relieved, and the rest of dinner passes smoothly, Arisa clearly regretting blurting out that bit of info.

They finish and pay for their meals - “I’m buying for everyone,  _no arguing_ , Willow, making up for my blunder, alright?” - and head over to the theater, not surprised to find it nearly empty.

They take a seat at the back, smack dab in the middle - Arisa and Garrus on the ends, letting Willow and Thane sit together but  _clearly_  still wanting an eye on the drell - and settle in as the movie starts, as over-dramatic and terribly done as the rest of the Blasto movies.

Willow hadn’t really wanted to see it - she’d just needed an idea for another meeting, and even just sitting beside each other in the dark theatre, she enjoys his presence, his quiet sense of calm.

“What is he  _doing_? They can  _see you_ , you idiot!”

Willow quirks a grin when Garrus starts picking apart the action in the vid, not even surprised - she  _is_  surprised when Thane answers.

“Typical amateurs - closing one eye will make your aim  _worse_.”

“I know, right?! And he’s leaning over the edge of the damn building!”

“Setting himself up for a kill-shot, one must be out of sight, well hidden - there, see? Canon-fodder.”

“Finally,  _someone_  who understands my grief!”

Willow blinks, turns her head to Arisa, and whispers “I think we’ve created a monster.”

“Y’think?” Arisa whispers back, and they return to watching the movie, their respective dates picking it apart the whole way through.

Garrus at least seems more fond of Thane by the end of the movie, if no less suspicious - clearly having someone else familiar with sniper rifles to talk to is a treat for the turian.

“We’ll have to have a shoot-off someday!” Garrus insists, mandibles flared in excitement, “I’m a Spectre, surely I can get us a shooting range for a day.”

“I would like that, though I warn you my skills may be rusty.” Thane agrees, chuckling good naturedly, “Especially in comparison to a fine Spectre such as yourself.”

Garrus puffs up with pride, making Arisa snort and wrap an arm around his waist, “Please don’t stroke his ego, Thane, it’ll make him  _insufferable._ ”

“Apologies, Commander.”

“Mhm.” Arisa eyes them for a moment, clearly debating, before saying, slowly, “Thane, would you mind escorting Willow home? Call me a paranoid older cousin, but…”

“Not at all, Commander. I had intended to, regardless.”

“Okay. Good. It was nice to meet you, Thane - Willow, I’ll call you later.”

“Sure. Good night Arisa, Garrus.”

Thane waits until the other two have headed off before turning to her, offering his arm with a shy grin and a tilt of his head, “Shall we?”

Willow just smiles back, slipping her arm through his and heading off in the direction of her apartment, leading when necessary since he hadn’t been there before.

“Sorry about them.” she says after a while, sighing, “I didn’t even  _know_  they were going to pull that or I’d have warned you.”

“Not at all - your family is concerned for your safety, as they should be. It simply means they care.” Thane pauses, humming, “Though I must say I agree with the Commander - your last partner  _does_  sound like an asshole.”

Willow laughs, shaking her head, “He was - but it wasn’t a serious relationship, anyways. Yet another reason his reaction made no sense.” she hesitates, squeezes his arm tighter, “This is probably the most serious I’ve been about dating in years, really. Consider yourself lucky, Thane; I’m usually hard to catch.”

It’s meant as a joke, but Thane’s rumbling chuckle and sincere “I am  _very_  lucky, indeed - you are a rare treasure, Willow Shepard.” has her blushing and looking away.

They reach her door and Thane releases her arm to again take her hand and press a kiss to the back, smiling that soft, quiet smile again. “Thank you for another wonderful evening, Willow. I hope I am not alone in saying I would very much like to continue this, whenever you may have time.”

“Definitely not alone - though I don’t know how to top the surprise double date.” she quips, happy when he laughs, “But seriously,  _yes_ , definitely - maybe a tea shop, next time? There’s one I’ve been meaning to try, up on the Presidium.”

“It’s a date, then.” he says, and Willow steps forward before she can lose her nerve, going up on her toes to press her lips to his cheek - just a quick, fond touch, nothing major -

Except when she pulls back she realizes she’s left a kiss mark from her red lipstick, flushing and stammering an apology “Oh my Gods,  _shit_  I’m sorry, I forgot I had red lipstick on! How do I still have it on, we had dinner?! I’m sorry-!”

Thane’s chuckle and his own lips pressing against her forehead make her freeze, and his expression is almost mischievous when he pulls away.

“It is merely a welcome reminder of the wonderful night we’ve had, Willow.” he says, and she relaxes, laughing, “I’ll message you tomorrow?”

“I’d like that.” she says, turning to palm the lock, “Good night, Thane.”

“Good night, Willow. Sleep well.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

  **Thane - Thursday - 20:00**

Kolyat looks up when he enters the apartment and smirks, eyes locked on the lipstick mark, “So… good date?”

“Very good date.” Thane responds, though he’s distracted - he’d thoroughly checked the corridors outside of Willow’s apartment once he’d seen her off safely, and the tracker he’d planted on Garrus had indicated safe arrival back on the Normandy - going straight to his terminal and checking the screens, “Any activity?”

“None, everything’s been clear.” Kolyat frowns, watching him, “He wasn’t happy, I take it?”

 _“Just you wait, assassin. There will be repercussions for crossing Cerberus.”_  the Illusive Man had threatened during their last call, right when he’d interrupted his first date with Willow,  _“You can’t protect them forever.”_

 _Don’t make bets you can’t win._  He’d wanted to spit back, holding his tongue at the last moment - blocking the man’s number and setting up a convenient accident for Kiron Tien.

He would need to wait before returning with a new alias, which was no issue; he had more than enough funds set aside to retire at this point, if he wished to. To provide for Kolyat for years to come, to send more gifts to the children… to support Willow, if it ever came to that.

No, right now, his priority was protecting the Shepard cousins. Something was coming, and he would  _not_  lose the woman he was incredibly fond of to Cerberus.

“No.” Thane answers, meeting his sons eyes, “He was not happy. And we must be ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	10. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything’s going well, and Willow finds herself slowly falling... until the assassin makes a move. Kolyat’s in danger, and keeping his identity hidden is no longer an option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imma just leave this here and run... enjoy? ♥

**Willow - Thursday - 17:00**

Two months pass by in a near blur, and despite knowing it’s fast and still trying to be cautious, Willow finds herself falling.

The Tea Shop date is calm and relaxing, and every date following is just as enjoyable - more dinners and coffee dates, visiting the kids, going bowling with Arisa and Garrus and nearly toppling over from laughing so hard when Thane beats the turian without breaking a sweat.

“Do not worry, Garrus.” Thane had chuckled, patting the taller alien on the arm, “I am sure  _you_  will be the victor in our sniper contest.”

Garrus had puffed up again at that, huffing. “Damn  _right_  I will be! Just you wait!”

Today had been a slightly more intimate date - dinner at a fancier restaurant up on the Presidium, just the two of them. Willow can’t remember the last time she’d worn a skirt, yet here she is - skirt, blouse, heels and all, dressed up more then she has been in  _years_.

They’re holding hands as they walk, her five digits somehow fitting perfectly with his four, talking quietly and just enjoying each other’s presence. Willow bumps him with her hip a couple of times, laughing when he bumps back, just happy and giddy in what has definitely become a mutual attraction.

Even at C-Sec, things have been slow. Kolyat’s basically trained, and he’s ready to go through the test to earn his pistol and badge, so far as Willow’s concerned.

She’s also IDed  _every_  suspect in the old cases - each of them showing as deceased - and, honestly, digging into the victims of those cases… they hadn’t seemed much like victims at all. Every single one of them had been bad news, and the Citadel was better off without them. In a way, the drell - because it was definitely  _one_  drell, using some sort of disguise program - had done them all a favour.

It didn’t excuse murder, of course, but it made her just  _slightly_  less inclined to keep tracking him.

“Willow, hold a moment.” Thane’s grip on her hand halts her, jolting them both to a stop, “Something seems off.”

“What do you…?” Willow trails off, following his gaze and going stiff. There’s marks around her lock - signs of sparks, near scorch marks, like someone’s tried to  _tamper_  with it.

Her heart jumps into her throat, mind buzzing.  _Shit! The assassin? There hasn’t been any movement in months, but who else-_

“Call Commander Shepard.” Thane says quietly, tugging away from her to approach the door, typing at his omni as he goes, “She and Garrus should stay with you tonight, Willow. We’ll need to check for traps, before anything else.”

Willow doesn’t think to question that; only dials Arisa and explains what they’d noticed, hanging up once her cousin promises they’ll be over shortly.

Thane’s finished scanning the lock by the time she approaches, expression hard to read as he motions her forwards “I cannot detect any lingering tampering in the lock, but we should still be cautious; whoever did this was targeting  _you_ , Willow - I would feel better if you allowed me to inspect inside.”

“ _I_  feel better just having you  _here_ , Thane.” she says, palming the lock open and allowing him in first, hand twitching over her pistol - dressed up or not, she knows better than to leave her gun at home.

Willow stays in the kitchen while Thane does a sweep of the apartment, feeling strangely off balance. She’s a cop, and she  _was_  Alliance - danger isn’t something she runs from. But knowing that the assassin had  _been_  there, messing with her home,  _so close_ … it’s kind of scary.

And she’s no pushover, but it’s  _damn_  nice to have Thane there, to not have come home alone to a messed up lock and the possibility of an assassin laying in wait.

Garrus and Arisa arrive just as Thane finishes checking the rooms, both in full armour and toting multiple guns - typical, typical Arisa, but Willow’s glad for it, accepting the assault rifle her cousin holds out without a second thought.

“Present for you,” she mutters, looking more angry than anything else, “You have your own armor still, figured you’d need a better gun if we’re finally dealing with this asshole.”

“Whoever tampered with the lock has left the premises, and I cannot see any traps or other evidence left behind.” Thane looks troubled as he returns to the kitchen, nodding at the newcomers, “Shepard, Garrus, would you mind taking another look? I do not believe I have missed anything, but…”

“Better safe than sorry.” Arisa agrees, jerking her head and leading Garrus further in.

Thane sets a hand on her shoulder, drawing her gaze away from the assault rifle in her hands - loosening her unconscious death grip on the weapon.

“Are you alright?” he questions softly, expression gentle.

Willow manages to nod, trying to smile and placing a hand over his, “Just a bit shaken, I guess. Not everyday someone tries to break into your apartment.”

_I never said anything about the assassin because I didn’t want you dragged into it - but if that’s who did this, then-_

“Hopefully, it was a simple act of vandalism, and nothing more will come of it.” Thane’s words are meant to reassure her, she knows, and while she appreciates it, something tells her this was  _not_  a one-off.

“Here’s hoping.” she agrees, shrugging, “Sorry for the weird end to the date, Thane. I had a really,  _really_  good time, before this.”

“As did I, Siha. You need not apologize.” Thane bends, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he’s taken to doing, then brushes his thumb over her cheek, looking concerned, “You will be alright, with Shepard and Garrus here?”

“Mhm, I’m good. I’ll message you if anything else happens, alright?” Willow turns her head, brushing her lips over his palm, “Thank you for looking after me, Thane.”

“It is the least I can do, Siha.” he answers, voice somewhat muffled, before he heads out.

Willow stares after him for a while, lips pursed. Something had seemed off, in those last moments… and she wonders how long this peace will last.

 

* * *

 

 Two hours later her omni beeps with a message that has her jumping up and shouting for the others.

_Siha, we have a problem. I am onroute to your apartment; wear your armour._

Willow doesn’t know what’s happened, but it can’t be anything good; she’s suited up and ready by the time her chime goes off, throwing open the door and staring for a moment at the man on the other side.

This is a Thane she hasn’t seen before - dressed in all black, an armor type made for stealth, a gun on each hip. This Thane is  _cold_ , angry, and she near pities whoever has put him in such a state.

“Siha.” he says, voice deceptively calm, “He has Kolyat.”

Willow’s heart thumps, grip on her gun tightening, “ _Who_  has Kolyat?”

“The man who tampered with your lock.” Thane eyes flicker behind her before returning to her face, “The assassin sent by Cerberus. I lost track of Kolyat’s tracker two blocks from C-Sec - I need your help, and we need to  _move_.”

“Then let’s move.” Willow follows him immediately, and she knows Arisa and Garrus are right behind them. “Why would he be after Kolyat?”

“I am unsure. I believe perhaps the assassin intended to assault you at C-Sec - and when Kolyat was there in your place, he made a connection.” Thane lowers his voice, muttering “Amateur.”

_His gait is different_ , she notices suddenly, watching the way he strides - full of purpose, body held perfectly upright, no wasted movements or motions.  _Wait…_

“Are you sure he has Kolyat, Thane?”

“I am not - I only know that Kolyat messaged me shortly before I lost track of him, and that I hope he has hidden himself. The other option is… disheartening.”

“We never told you about the assassin.” Willow blurts, praying her instincts are wrong this time.

“You did not need to; I have known of the contract since it was created.” Thane’s expression shifts just slightly - not anger, precisely, but exasperation, “I also knew that this amateur was taking over the hits, though I have done my best to thwart his efforts.”

“Why did he take them over?”

“Because the original assassin broke off the contract.” Thane’s lips twist in almost mocking amusement, “Cerberus was not happy about the decision.”

He lets that hang between them, leading silently forwards, and Willow’s stomach drops.

“It  _was_  you in those vids - the old murder cases.” she finally hisses, not wanting the others to overhear, and a small nod from him confirms her fears, “But  _why_?”

“We can speak later, Siha. I promise, I will explain everything. For now… we must get to Kolyat.”

They lapse into silence then, and as they approach the area where he’d said he’d lost track of Kolyat, Willow notices Thane tense, stance shifting into something more predatory.

He’s pulled out a pistol and fired off a short before she can blink - catching and shattering a tactical shield, leaving the man behind it perfectly visible.

She’s never seen him before - stealth armor, a visor wrapped around his eyes, black hair and a  _sword_  gripped in one hand - but it’s not hard to tell who he is, and her own gun is trained on him immediately.

“Ah, the prodigal drell - bringing me gifts, I see. To bad you didn’t have the guts to finish the job yourself, old man.”

“Fool.” Thane fires again, shot grazing the man’s shoulder as he dodges, “Where is the other drell?”

“Oh, around here somewhere, little bastard gave me the slip.” the assassin swaps his grip on his sword then, grinning maniacally, “Now that my  _actual_  targets are in sight, however… the game has changed.”

Willow’s dodging even before he finishes speaking, instinct kicking in; Thane lands a glancing blow when the man appears where she’d been, dodging away before he can reciprocate.

It’s almost a test - can she move fast enough, dodge quick enough, track the damn assassin’s movements well enough to not get  _hit_  - and she’s glad, now, that Thane  _had_  given up the hit, whatever his reasons might have been.

Because if it was Thane they were facing, she’s not sure they’d have won.

The assassin nearly catches Arisa from behind - forced to dance away by Garrus’ rifle in his face,  _almost_  managing to catch him before he darts away again - and while Thane is a matching whirlwind of movement, he’s not the target.

Willow spins on instinct when she hears the slightest scuff of boots behind her, punching through the assassin's blade with biotics and sending him flying backwards into a wall.

“Thane,  _now_!”

“On it.”

She doesn’t watch closely - only knows that he makes sure the assassin won’t be bothering them again, and that Arisa and Garrus both unload a couple of clips into the body as well - but once he’s dealt with, she sighs, looks around.

“Where’s Kolyat?”

“Here.”

She turns in time to see the younger drell emerge from behind several flower beds, his own tactical cloak dissolving as he moves. And now, suddenly, she knows  _exactly_  who taught him how to fight, and knows that the things she’s been suspicious about have been correct.

_Please, please, **please**  don’t let this all have been a front. _She’s not sure she could handle that, honestly.

So when Thane finishes checking Kolyat over and turns towards them, she crosses her arms and does her best to look neutral, trying not to let any of the betrayal show through.

“I think you owe us an explanation, Thane.”

 

* * *

 

  **Thane - Thursday - 20:00**

“I think you owe us an explanation, Thane. If you  _are_  the same drell from all those security vids - from the old cases, ten years ago - then this doesn’t fit your style.”

Thane takes a breath, counting to ten before turning from Kolyat to face the others. To face the truth, really.

Willow has her arms crossed, and he can see her expression shifting, see the hurt in her face - and it eats at him, because this was not how he had hoped for things to go. The truth would have needed to come out, yes… but not like this.

Arisa and Garrus step up to stand beside her, looking confused and cautious, and Thane hesitates, wondering how best to start this.

_The beginning is the best way to go, I suppose._

“Those hits were  _personal_ , Siha - those men had taken something they should not have.”

“So then… “ he can hear the waiver to her voice, the way it’s changed from merely suspicious to  _startled_ , and knows she’s caught on to the truth.

Thane clasps his hands behind his back, lets his emotions show freely, for once, and says “What you are thinking is correct, Willow. I was the original assassin hired by Cerberus.”

“You said you’d called off the hits.” she says, “What changed?”

“I started researching - I knew  _of_  Commander Shepard, but no details, and I knew nothing of you. So, as I always do, I went digging. What I found was astonishing… you were both interesting, stubborn women, determined and righteous, and I would have been doing the world a great disservice, had I taken you out of it.”

“Know, please, that I did not know Kolyat was applying to C-Sec - he became curious, once I had stopped planning hits and merely started… wishing, I suppose. He wondered what had drawn me to you so. And I did not lie; I was intrigued by your actions, your  _goodness_ , your personality. I thought to send gifts and stay away… until the children meddeled, after which I could not resist meeting you.”

Thane pauses, gaze going to the floor - he can’t stand to watch Willow’s face any longer, can’t stand the thought of loathing replacing the previous affection, much as he would understand it.

“There is more to it then that, and I would explain in more detail in a more… secure location, if you would. But I have been sincere in my intentions, Siha. And I can never apologize enough for the stress I have put you all through.”

Thane keeps his gaze on the ground, feeling Kolyat shift beside him, nervous energy seeping off of him.

_Please forgive me._  He doesn’t say, no matter how he wants to, and the longer the silence stretches, the more sure he is that he has lost whatever chance he may have had with Willow.

Then, finally, “I think I need a drink. You owe me an expensive dinner and lots of alcohol for this, Thane.  _Plus_  that explanation.”

Thane lifts his head just enough to see her face, not bothering to hide his surprise or elation, “Whatever you wish, Siha.”

“Alright.” Willow sighs, runs a hand through her hair, and grimaces, “I’ll message you tomorrow, alright? I need to sleep on this.”

“Of course.” Thane bows, remains like that until their footsteps have faded away, then straightens and turns his attention to Kolyat.

“You are unharmed?”

“I ran and activated my tactical cloak as soon as I could.” Kolyat looks upset, grabbing his coat, “Father, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“Hush, Kolyat, you’ve done nothing wrong. It would have come out eventually.” Thane sets a hand on his son's shoulder, trying to smile, “Willow is willing to let me explain - I need to focus on that. Come, let’s get home.”

_Kalahira, thank you for this chance. I will not squander it - and if I am able, I will keep Willow safe, from here on out._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	11. Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explanations are owed, and Thane fully intends to give them. He can only hope Willow will forgive him the necessary deceptions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....good stuff happens this chapter and that is all I’m saying. Enjoy! ♥ (The muses woke up for a bit weee)

**Thane - Friday - 17:00**

Thane arrives at the restaurant punctual as ever - and it comes to no surprise when again, Willow has beaten him there.

_Thessian Delights_  is expensive, extravagant - and it boasts an option of booking private,  _secured_  rooms, which had been Thane’s main reason for choosing it over other locals. If he was going to be spilling all of his dirty secrets, it would need to be well away from curious ears.

It was, perhaps, a tad too similar to Illium’s back rooms and barely legal trade zones, but it would serve the purpose of the night.

Thane had dressed simply, but with a purpose; black slacks and a dress shirt, covered by one of his preferred leather jackets and paired with his usual black boots - a mix of the casual persona he’s been wearing and clothes that ring true of  _own_  self, of the assassin beneath the skin.

He doesn’t modify his gait - strolls unseen through the Presidium crowds and arrives at the greeters podium undetected, lips twitching at the asari’s open surprise to see him standing there.

“I have a room reserved,” he says simply, words quiet and concise, “Under Thane Krios?”

“ _Ah_ ,” says the asari, knowing in her expression - clearly, he is not the first to use the rooms - as she nods, turning and beckoning him to follow, “Your companion is already here, Mr. Krios. Once you are both comfortable and have made your orders, we will secure the room for you; it is then up to you when you wish for it to be opened.”

“Thank you.”

The greeter shows him to the room and leaves with a nod of her head, Thane taking a quiet breath before stepping inside.

Willow is seated facing the doorway, a strategic move that doesn’t surprise Thane at all; she’d be able to watch the door and the glass wall separating the room from the rest of the restaurant, thus keeping a close eye on any suspicious activity.

_Smart as ever, my Siha._

“You’ve beaten me again, Willow.” he chuckles, walking slowly closer - keeping an eye on her posture, glad when she seems no more wary of him then before the incident with the assassin - stopping at the edge of the table. “And here I prided myself on being punctual.”

“I was ready early and got antsy, so I headed over.” Willow shrugs, sitting a bit straighter and leaning her arms on the table. Then she smirks, glancing around, “I’ve had to break into a couple of these rooms, actually. Harder then I’d have liked.”

“Oh?” her movement had drawn his attention to her wrist, and Thane has to squash down on a sharp stab of  _hope_  -  _She’s wearing the bracelet! Perhaps, then, I have not quite lost my chance._

“Let’s just say they decided to use the rooms for purposes rather meant for a  _hotel_.” Willow drawls, drawing a startled chuckle from Thane, “And while  _yes_ , there are blinds in these rooms - they have to be activated by the occupants. Either these people forgot or just plain didn’t  _care_.”

Willow pauses then, squinting her eyes at him jokingly, “I assume that’s  _not_  why you wanted to meet here, right?”

Thane scoff’s at that, relaxed from the joking and taking a moment to slip into his seat, “ _Please_ , Willow, I should hope you know me better then that - that I would ever act so distastefully is an ill thought.”

“Hmm.” Willow hums, gaze dropping to her hands for a moment. Thane realizes his words may have been badly chosen just as she glances up again, giving him a half-smile, “I already ordered drinks - tea for you, coffee and a glass of wine for me. Figured we could order food once you got here, and then…”

“Talk. Yes. I promised you an explanation, Siha, and I have no intentions to go against my word.” Thane presses his palm to the table space before him, activating the menu, “Shall we order?”

There  _is_  tension in her, Thane notes as the waitress appears with their drinks and takes their meal orders, but it’s more of a hesitant sort of tension, not deep rooted; she’s glancing at him constantly, toying with her bracelet, and it’s an act of self control not to reach across the table and brush her hair back from her face every time a strand slips from behind her ears, a need to touch her that’s hard to overpower.

He succeeds, however, and once their food has arrived and the waitress has left, Thane sets about securing the room. He opts for every level of security and privacy offered; door locked and coded, blinds closed, soft music playing to confuse any listening devices - though he also runs a debug on his omni, typing in the code and waiting for the space of a breath while it runs.

There’s nothing, and it is strangely  _freeing_  to be able to run such programs in front of Willow without needing to hide them.

_Now then._

“Willow,” he begins, folding his hands on the table - he needs to be focused for this, lest the memories draw him in - “I owe you a  _proper_  explanation, one that requires me to start at the beginning, as it were. Know, first, that Kolyat has  _never_  been a part of my assassinations; I have always done my best to keep him away from my work. This may take a while; I ask only that you listen, as you owe me nothing.”

Willow nods, sitting straight once more and reaching for a drink - the coffee, he is pleased to note. “I think I owe you more than you think,” she mumbles, taking a sip, “Go ahead.”

“To start, then, I must go back. You are aware that most drell live on the hanar homeworld, Kahje?” at her nods, he continues, “This is because they rescued us from extinction, when our own planet fell into decline. I will not bore you with my peoples history, but this led to what is called The Compact; a debt of gratitude that is paid through tasks the hanar find difficult.”

“I entered the Compact at age six, when my parents gave me to the hanar to be trained as an assassin - a task  _decidedly_  difficult for the hanar.”

“Your parents had no issues with a six year old being trained to  _kill_?” she asks, incredulous.

“It is considered a great honor to serve the hanar, and any person serving under such a contract is well provided for, taken care of. I did not make my first kill until I was twelve.” Thane reaches for his tea, cradling it between his hands, “Fast forward several years - I was given a contract for a salarian who had come to Kahje, and though I remember his face, I could not tell you his name.”

“I was poised, ready to strike, my rifle trained on my target - and then a pedestrian stepped into my shot.” Thane takes a breath, “It was Irikah.”

He realizes nearly immediately that Willow won’t know the name, but being the good detective she is, she puts the clues together, “Kolyat’s mother?”

“Yes. She had noticed my laser point and stepped into my sights,  _glaring_  as though she could see where I’d hidden.” Thane takes a lingering sip of his tea, allowing himself to bask in the memories a moment before pushing them away, “It threw me off guard - and I knew I had to meet her.”

“I think you have a  _type_ , Thane.” Willow mumbles, a hint of a laugh in the words.

“I seem to, don’t I?” he agrees, chuckling, “Though if that type is strong, stubborn women who refuse to play by other people’s rules, who am I to complain?”

She ducks her gaze back to her food, the tiniest hint of a flush tinting her cheeks, and Thane pushes on, encouraged.

“In any case - as it turned out, Irikah was also being hunted - and after I’d dispatched those men, I through myself at her feet and begged forgiveness. To my surprise, she granted it, and slowly that tentative friendship blossomed into more.”

“We wed, and when Kolyat was born I asked the hanar to release me from The Compact, that I might be a proper father and husband. Unfortunately at the time, I had no other skills; every job I managed to obtain I lost, because I had been taught nothing except what an assassin would need to know.”

“That doesn’t seem like you, Thane.” Willow argues, and he shakes his head.

“Not now, perhaps, but I was a younger man in those days, Willow - having known only The Compact, I was left to flounder. Perhaps a year after Kolyat’s birth, I took to freelancing my skills as an assassin - if those were the only skills I had, then I would use them to provide for my family.”

“I was careful to keep my work separate from my home life - as you’ve seen, Willow, I have programs to disguise my features, though that was very much an experimental tactic that only occasionally worked in the beginning. I had an office away from our home - though I had not yet thought to stage deaths for my alias’, only to change names and colours.”

“I managed to keep my family safe for eight years, Willow… until a job had me crossing paths with batarian slavers that were preying on hanar colonies. I took out as many of the slavers as I could find, but ten slipped away.” Thane pauses, closing his eyes to block the memories, to push away the old despair, “Those remaining slavers went to the Shadow Broker… and I returned home to Kolyat hidden in a closet and Irikah slain.”

“Oh, my God, Thane.” Willow’s voice is startled, sympathetic, and he opens his eyes at the feel of her hand over his, “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you, Siha.” he takes a chance - unclasps his hands so that he might take hers, instead, glad when she returns the grip.

“I’m glad Kolyat was alright.” she nearly whispers, drawing her hand back when he releases her, cradling her own coffee as though needing the warmth.

“As am I. Irikah woke me from the Battle Sleep my body had been in, and had I lost them both I surely would have descended into it once more. As it was, I made sure Kolyat was safe with his aunts and uncles while I went to hunt her killers - I kept in touch with him as often as I was able, and handled the slavers as quickly as possible.” Thane pauses, smiles humorlessly, “They had all come  _here_ , to the Citadel, and so tracking them was simple.”

“The cases from ten years ago.” Willow breathes, continuing at his nod, “The more I looked into those men, the more I realized the Citadel was better off without them - that whoever the killer was, he’d been  _cleaning house_. Now I understand  _why_.”

“I was taught to grant death quickly, painlessly,” Thane sighs, reaching again for his tea, “I let those men suffer as Irikah had suffered - and in doing so, left the evidence you’ve been investigating.”

“Hey, it’s kept me busy for a while.” Willow jokes, sobering quickly, “Off the record - I’m glad you found them. They deserved what they got.”

“I appreciate that, Willow.” Thane takes a breath, lifts his gaze back to hers, “Now that you know my past… let us speak of how I came to return here, Willow. I am still a free lance assassin, I will not lie - but I will not work for just anyone. A hit must be justified, and the client must be willing to pay the price I deem them to be worth. I could retire if I wished to, and still be able to provide for myself and Kolyat for the foreseeable future - as it is, my hits are few and far between, and I  _do_  travel where my clients need me.”

“Kolyat has been on the Citadel since he was fifteen - before that, he traveled with me, always living in a separate apartment so that we would not be connected. I have done my best to stay close to him, and until this meeting with Cerberus, I’d managed to do well.”

“In any case - the day before you saw Kolyat and I in the cafe, I was contacted on Illium by The Illusive Man - for whatever reason, he wanted Arisa and yourself taken out. He believed you were investigating Cerberus, and wanted to put an end to it.”

“Hmm… I know I helped Arisa look into a couple of Cerberus leads, back before the mess with Saren.” Willow scowls for a moment, brows creased, “Nothing since then, though, so I’m gonna call it paranoia.”

“That would fit, from what I’ve seen of the man. I told him plainly that I would need to do research, as I always do.” Thane sips his tea, keeping his gaze on her, “The more research I did, however, the more I realized I would  _not_  be fulfilling the hits.”

“Your records were the more easily accessible, Willow - which if you like, after this, I can help strengthen C-Sec’s database against programs like my own. I must admit, though, C-Sec’s cameras were the only sector I couldn’t hack.”

“Doesn’t surprise me; Garrus rigged them before he left with Arisa.”

“Ahh, that does explain it, then. In any case… much as Irikah had done, you captured my attention, Willow. Your actions on patrols, your interactions with the Duct Rats, your history and records… I swiftly realized that you were a lovely, intelligent,  _kind_  woman, and that removing you from this world would be a  _tragedy_.”

Willow’s blushing, but Thane just presses on “Kolyat applying at C-Sec was not my idea, I promise - though I am glad he did, as he has grown  _exponentially_  since becoming your trainee. Likewise, the stories he would tell only supported my decision. I grew to… have a  _crush_  on you, I suppose, as juvenile as that might sound. Hence the gifts.”

“You could have just come in with the excuse of seeing Kolyat, y’know. Introduced yourself?” Willow murmurs, but she’s grinning, cheeks still flushed, “Not that the gifts were  _sweet_ , I was just a bit on edge, y’know?”

“I know, and I would apologize, but I was not sure how to approach you, honestly. What could I offer you, Willow? I am a widowed single father, and an assassin - you deserve much better than I can give, and I know that still.”

“Let  _me_  be the judge of that, huh?” she interrupts, and it’s Thane’s turn to be startled, coughing to conceal his fluster.

“In any case, I had intended to send the gifts and remain in the shadows… until the children intervened. And I cannot say I regret that they did, now. I  _do_  regret how you found out about the Cerberus business, however - I called off the hits at the end of our first date, and set up a death for my current alias. Clearly, the Illusive Man was not happy with my decision.”

“It  _was_  rather sudden.” Willow agrees, now reaching for her wine, “But you didn’t try to perpetuate the lie, once it was out in the open - you admitted to it, which was a  _big_  point in your favor, honestly.”

“I am happy to hear that, Siha.” Thane’s entire focus is on her now, trying to read her expressions, “So now, we have arrived at the present. You have allowed me to explain, and I am at your mercy. Where we go from here is your choice.”

Willow hums, taking another sip of wine and fiddling with her fork - neither of them have actually touched their food, though it still appears to be steaming - before she lets her gaze slide back to him, considering.

“You were the one who found me when I collapsed and brought me to the hospital, right?” she asks, voice hesitant, “ _And_  the one who gave me the information on the Merc who drugged Taylor?”

“Correct.”

“And the kids  _love_  you - those presents for them were from you too, right?”

“They were, yes. I thought they could use some small necessities.” Thane can’t help a small smirk, “Although, considering their delight in dragging me clothes shopping, I think it only fair to  _return_  the favor, one day.”

“Ahhh, so  _that’s_  what they were snickering about - I’m game, though even if it’s meant as revenge they’ll probably enjoy it.” Willow laughs, resting her chin in her hand, “Kolyat’s great, probably the best trainee I’ve had, honestly - and he  _adores_  you, Thane, so you’ve clearly done a good job raising him.”

“I am honored you think so.” he says quietly, waiting for the  _but_.

A but that never comes, as it turns out.

Willow reaches over to squeeze his hand again, giving him an almost shy grin, “I haven’t dated in over two years - since I was diagnosed. And even before then, my relationships were short casual - my partners were more interested in having a piece of biotic eye candy on their arm, I’m afraid. You treat me like a  _person_ , Thane, not a trophy - and assuming the only thing you’ve been covering up is your job, then you are a  _damn_  interesting person to be around.”

“So, despite all the assassin and Cerberus crap… I still  _like_  you. I like you a lot, in fact. And I’d like to keep seeing you, to see where this might go.” Willow’s blushing worse than, eyebrows lifted, “If  _you_  want to, anyways?”

“I would like nothing better.” Thane nearly chokes, feeling overwhelmed by relief and joy, “You grant me an honor I do not deserve, Siha, and I will do my best to be worthy of this chance.”

“No more secrets.”

“No more secrets.” he promises, lifting her hand to kiss the back, releasing her with a smirk, “Now then… perhaps we should actually  _enjoy_  the meals we’ve been provided?”

“Well, I guess I  _did_  ask for a fancy dinner, didn’t I?” Willow laughs, picking up her fork, “Alright, I’m game - I want dessert, too.”

“Whatever you desire, Siha.”

“Oh! One more thing.”

Thane pauses mid-bite, brow ridges lifted at her sudden wide grin.

“You still owe Garrus a shoot off.”

 

* * *

 

  **Willow - Saturday - 12:00**

_BAM_

“ _HAH!_  That the best you can do, Krios?! Thought you were a  _professional_?”

_BAM_

“Your aim’s a little  _off_  there, Vakarian; are you sure you’ve used a sniper rifle before?”

“I’m going to wipe that smug smirk right off your face, Krios!”

“I’d relish the challenge, sir.”

Willow steps back into the shooting range with the tray of coffees, shaking her head at the insults and lifting a brow at her cousin. “Have they been shit talking each other the whole time?”

“Yuuup. Well, there was maybe five minutes after you left where they were still fiddling with their rifles, but the pissing match’s been going since then.” Arisa rolls her eyes, taking the offered coffee with a grateful sigh, “Thanks, Willow.”

“No problem.” Willow takes her own cup and sets the tray down on their table - coffee for Garrus, tea for Thane - before leaning against the spectators rail, watching the two men for a moment. Then she glances at Arisa again, slowly asking “So… you’re a lot more chill about this whole thing than I expected. Should I be warning Thane about a sneak attack or something?”

It’s been two weeks since the big reveal and her talk with Thane - two weeks of continued coffee dates and messaging, pretty much continuing from where they’d left off. Willow’s in too deep to back out now, and she knows it, but… she’d expected at least a  _little_  anger from her cousin.

Arisa only shrugs, taking a sip of coffee. “Honestly? The second things were exposed, he told the truth. If that doesn’t count for  _something_ , I don’t know what does. Besides.”

The redhead goes silent, eyes on the boys, and after a few seconds silence Willow frowns, prompting “Besides…?”

The Commander smirks, shifts a little, “ _Besides_ , having an assassin as your boyfriend means you’re probably the safest person on the damn Citadel - Thane won’t let anything  _near_  you. And as long as he’s keeping you safe and happy, who am I to argue?”

“...you sure you’re my cousin? I honestly expected some yelling.”

“Eh, beating up mercs on missions helps work off anger. Not to mention having a partner who is  _amazing_  for stress relief.”

“Ew, didn’t need to know that, but okay.”

“Oh, relax, Willow, I’m sure you’ll be in the same boat soon.” Arisa gives her a wink, laughing and hooking an arm around her shoulders when she sputters, “Oh, my God, I managed to embarrass Willow, this is something to  _celebrate_!”

“One more shot! Let’s go!”

_BAM_

“You were saying?”

_BAM_

“Ooookay, I think we need to pull the boys away.” Willow ducks out from under Arisa’s arm, walking to the doorway and cupping her hands around her mouth, “OI, boys! You’re  _tied_ , give it a rest!”

Thane settles his rifle down at her voice, but Garrus flares his mandibles in annoyance, still aiming at the targets.

“C’mon, just one more shot and I’ll-”

“Garrus,  _c’mon_ , you tied with the damn professional, which means you  _both_  kick ass with a sniper rifle.” Arisa joins Willow at the door, planting her hands on her hips, “We’ve gotta go talk to the Council, remember? Spectre business? Ringing any bells?”

Garrus grumbles something about “ _I’m_  a professional, too.” but lowers his rifle, turning to stare down the shorter man for a moment. Then he flares his mandibles and holds out a hand, shaking roughly when Thane grabs on. “Good match, Krios - least I know you can keep Willow safe, now. We should take on the Arena sometime.”

“I look forwards to it.” Thane chuckles, grip just as tight, stowing the borrowed rifle back in its place before following the turian out.

Garrus immediately wraps an arm around Arisa’s waist, nuzzling at her hair with a happy little purr when she leans into him and returns the touch with a laugh.

Willow just grins, reaching out for Thane’s hand and lacing their fingers together, “Alright, you promised to install some extra security in my apartment, remember? Let’s go.”

“Of course, Siha.”

“See you later Arisa! Bye Garrus!”

“Look after her, Krios!”

It’s not to long a walk from the shooting range to Willow’s apartment, though she enjoys it more now that Thane isn’t changing his gait - unconsciously eyeing him from her peripheral as they move, studying the fluidity of his strides.

Thane catches her watching, brow ridges lifted in question. “What is it?”

“Your gait,” she says, shrugging, “I could tell it was stiff, before, but I figured it was natural. But your  _actual_  gait is so damn fluid - I’m jealous.”

“You are just as mesmerizing to me, Siha.” he chuckles, and she flushes happily.

Willow stays out of the way once they reach her apartment - sipping her coffee and watching him work, moving from room to room installing small devices, running checks for any bugs, adding extra layers to her door locks.

It takes maybe an hour, and when he’s done he gives her a quick run-through of what everything does, where it’s positioned - how to set off the new alarms if need be.

“I feel better, knowing that your apartment is protected, Willow.” he says as she sees him to the door, relief in his voice, “Thank you for indulging me.”

“Thank  _you_  for caring enough to do it, Thane.” Willow smiles, stepping into the door frame as he turns around, lifting her hand as has become custom.”

“Goodnight, Willow.” he says, brushing his lips over the back in the way that always makes her shiver, “I will message you tomorrow?”

“Please.” she sighs, letting her hand drop as he turns to go. Then, feeling suddenly bold, she blurts “Thane, wait.”

Thane turns back at her voice, and she catches him before she can lose her nerve; tugging on his collar and going up on her toes to press her lips to his.

It’s a chaste, quick touch, and she feels Thane freeze against her, making her pull back in flushed shame.  _Crap, I probably startled the poor guy, shit shit shit._

“I’m sorry-”

Her apology is cut off by his arm wrapping around her waist and hauling her tight against him, mouth descending on hers in a much  _deeper_  version of the kiss she’d just given.

Willow clings to his shirt and lets her eyes close as she kisses back, feeling a vibration start in his chest that runs straight through her, opening her mouth with a soft groan and tapping her tongue against his.

Thane pulls back at that, though he keeps his arms around her waist, and Willow blinks at the haze suddenly clouding her vision, still holding tight to him.

“Siha.” he purrs, and  _Gods_  his dual voice sounds delicious, low and strained, “You  _tempt_  me.”

“I’m flattered.” she says, making him chuckle and nuzzle his forehead against hers, a sort of intimate touch that leaves her as breathless as the kiss, “And also kind of dizzy. Is it from…?”

“Ah, I forgot - some humans find drell saliva  _intoxicating_ , hallucinogenic.” Thane nuzzles her again, still holding her close, “I apologize, Siha.”

“No complaints here.” Willow assures him, earning herself another chaste kiss. “Though I wouldn’t object to some help getting back to the couch.”

“You’ll get used to it, I believe.” he says softly, doing just that - even bringing her a blanket once she’s curled up on the couch.

“Cool. Just takes some  _practice_ , huh?”

“Another day.” Thane promises, brushing her hair back and smiling softly, “Till tomorrow, Siha.”

“Till tomorrow.” she agrees, watching him as he leaves, nestling into her blanket with a sigh as the haze slowly begins to fade.

The warmth she feels in her gut takes a much longer time to dissipate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	12. A Trade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arisa calls a meeting, citing ‘Spectre Business’ - turns out Cerberus holds a grudge. Too bad Thane’s one step ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, but we’re slowly rolling towards the end here. Enjoy!

**Thane - Thursday - 10:00**

Two months later see a reverse of the forced shopping trip Thane had been dragged on - though the kids are clearly enjoying themselves.

It’s a heady feeling to stroll through the shop with Willow on his arm, keeping a close eye on the kids and giving opinions when asked. He’d never expected to feel this calm affection again, but now he knows he’ll do whatever necessary to keep her happy and at his side.

The kids are well behaved - probably from years of Willow looking after them - and they’re soon ushering the giggling group away from the store, each toting at least one full bag of clothing.

They drop the group off at their little nook, earning hugs from all of them - Thane’s still surprised by the hugs, just a little, but he accepts them gratefully - heading out with promises to visit again soon.

“Wish I could do more for those kids.” Willow sighs as they walk, swinging their clasped hands back and forth between them, “Hate that they’re stuck living on the streets, still.”

“Well… perhaps we can, down the line.” Thane muses, thinking -  _it would be no trouble to take the group in, surely, there aren’t many laws surrounding the Duct Rats_  - only giving her a secretive grin when she shoots him a look, “Another time, Siha. The others are waiting, are they not?”

“Mhm. ‘Spectre Business’. Not sure why they need  _us_ , but I have a feeling it’s something to do with Cerberus.”

“You read my mind. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

They’d arranged to meet again at  _Thessian Delights_ , which tells Thane they wanted to make use of the private rooms - he draws his hand back from Willows in order to slip his arm around her waist instead, onguard and protective.

Willow only smirks and leans into him as they walk, mimicking his grip and making him rumble happily.

They arrive to find Arisa and Garrus accompanied by an unfamiliar brunette woman, releasing each other to take the specified seats.

“This is Miranda Lawson,” Arisa introduces, a strange expression on her face, “She’s a Cerberus Defector - one with  _very_  interesting information.”

“Information I shared at the assurance that I would be assisted with a problem of my own.” Miranda speaks up, all posh formality, “I need help moving my sister, Shepard.”

“I promised we’d help, and I don’t go back on my word - even more of a reason to bring Willow and Thane in to help.” Arisa assures her, gesturing towards them, “Tell them what you told us.”

“You made an enemy of the Illusive Man, and he holds grudges. You took out his pet assassin, so now he’s trying a different method. He has a thief hired to steal the inprogress AEND cure.” Miranda pauses, folds her legs primly, “I have the details of the planned theft, and all I ask in return is help moving my sister to safety.”

“What’s happened to your sister?”

“Nothing, yet, but I know my father is planning to kidnap her - please don’t ask, it’s a long story. My main reason for leaving Cerberus is that I discovered they’re now working with my father, something the Illusive Man had promised would never happen.” the brunette’s lips twist mockingly, “I hold grudges myself, you see. And I will  _not_  allow him to ruin Oriana’s life the way he wants to.”

“Do you have a planned safehouse for your sister?” Thane inquires, senses alert - the moment he knows who is going after the cure he’ll be on them, and if this is the game the woman wants to play so be it.

“I have an apartment set up for both of us, but the security systems aren’t finished yet; I need somewhere safe to house her until they are.”

“We could keep her at my place.” Willow offers, giving him a quick look that he returns with a nod, “Gods know between Garrus and Thane, my apartment’s probably safer then C-Sec - or anywhere else on the Citadel, really.”

“That would be…” Miranda’s stoic facade breaks for a moment before she coughs, reigning herself in, “You don’t know what that means to me, Officer Shepard. To us. I’m on board with this plan.”

“And as there’s no time to waste… the thief’s name is Kasumi Goto. The theft is planned for Saturday night, after most of the staff has left.”

“Ah, I’ve worked with Goto, in the past.” Thane breathes, amused, reaching over to squeeze Willow’s hand when she gives him a curious look, “Do not worry, Siha. I will handle this. I have information that should pique her interest.”

* * *

 

  **Willow - Saturday - 24:00**

Moving Oriana had gone without a hitch - keeping her covered until they’d made it into the apartment, temporarily confining her there until things were safe.

Oriana didn’t seem to mind, giving Miranda a tight hug before she’d left; clearly, she’d been kept up to date on what was happening, and accepted the protection without problem.

She’d even made friends with Kolyat, when the younger drell had come over to share intel with Thane and check in with Willow.

Ori’s fast asleep in Willow’s room at the moment, the door closed so that Thane’s eventual entrance won’t startle her. He’d gone alone to take down the thief, with Garrus on radio-contact in case anything went South.

_“I know the thief. She’ll listen to reason; especially with the information I have.”_

_I hope you’re right, Thane._

He’s been gone two hours, and Willow’s been driving herself mad; pacing the living room, going through two pots of coffee, forcing herself to take a shower just to  _stop_  pacing and then starting again the moment she was out.

_Should’ve let me gone with him, this is killing me! I trust Thane to get the job done, but still-_

Willow nearly jumps out of her skin when the door chimes and then opens suddenly, a very smug looking Thane stepping inside. The smug look vanishes when he spots her, becoming softer, more concerned.

“Siha, you should be sleeping. Have you been pacing?”

“It’s  _me_.” she groans, crossing to him and leaning gratefully into his embrace, checking him over for any injuries, “So? What happened?”

“The Cure is safe and secure at Huerta, under the watch of one  _very_  keen eyed salarian.” Thane chuckles, hugging her tighter, “And you’ll find your cousin has a new  _crew_  member, next time you visit.”

“Really? Arisa let the thief join?”

“Kasumi has good skills, and she’s not a bad person; so long as she’s being paid, she doesn’t care. There  _is_  one other bit of news.”

“What?” Willow shivers when Thane nuzzles her throat, leaving small kisses there, “Thane, stop being distracting, what news?”

“So impatient.” he chuckles again, straightening to kiss her properly, whispering “The cure is  _ready_ , my Siha. Dr. Solus will be calling you in the morning.”

Willow sucks in a breath, going wide eyed. “What? Really? It’s… it’s  _done_?”

“Mhmm.” Thane kisses her again, a soft touch that brings her out of her surprise, laughing and returning the affection joyfully.

“ _Fuck_ , this is amazing. I need… we need to  _celebrate_. Or something.” she pauses, grinning a little cheekily when an idea forms, “Hey, Thane… you up for a night at the club?”

“If that is what you wish, Siha.”

“Hmmmm once Oriana’s been moved, just so we’re not leaving her alone too long. And it could be a  _game_ , of sorts.”

Thane’s eyes sharpen at that, his grip on her waist tightening, “A game, my Willow?”

Willow just grins, “You’ll see, lover.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	13. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If she’s going to be in a coma for a month, Willow wants to celebrate first; a night out at Purgatory with the gang...
> 
> ...and then a more private celebration with Thane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting close to the end friends - this chapters been written for a while so I decided to stop sitting on it oops. Not quite smut but close to it. There’ll be one, maybe two more chapters after this.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Willow - Purgatory**

Willow steps into Purgatory and grins at the pumping bass, pausing for a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dimmed ambiance and flashing spotlights.

She hasn’t been clubbing in  _years_  - not since before the diagnosis and moving higher in the C-Sec ranks, anyways. A cop at an Asari Dance Club? Could lead to trouble - but she’d wanted to do something different, tonight.

_It’s my last night before I go in for treatment, I want to do something **different**._  She’d told Thane, after all, and so here she was - her boyfriend nowhere in sight.

But that was the game they’d agreed on, for this outing; to meet at the club, pretend first to be strangers, a pair of souls simply out to have a good time. She’s not sure how long she’ll bother to keep the ruse going, but it’s a fun idea, at least.

Willow heads first for the main bar, heels silent beneath the loud beat of the music, waving when she spots Garrus and Arisa already there. They don’t know the extent of the plan for the evening, but she’s happy they’d made it over for drinks, at least.

“Hey, guys!” Willow’s gaze darts to the two women to her cousins right, smirk widening, “Miranda, Kasumi! Hey! How’s things? How’s Ori?”

“She’s good - better than ever, in fact. Getting an apartment together was… it’s been good.” Miranda lifts her glass in a toast, smile much less guarded than the last time Willow had seen her, “I’m not much for clubs, myself, but when the Commander said  _why_  we were celebrating - congrats, Willow.”

“Yup, gonna be healthy again, soon. Just gotta spend a month in a coma first.” Willow quips, earning a chuckle from the brunette while her gaze strays to the quiet thief, “So, Kasumi. How’s life on a ship treating you?”

“I like it, actually, though I feel rather restless most days - no call for thievery on a ship!” Kasumi’s smile is secretive, “But the missions are good, and Shep’s said my work for her makes up for my part in trying to steal the cure - so I’m happy. Congrats again.”

“The impending coma is  _exactly_  why I wanted to come and drink tonight.”

“I figured as much. Though I  _am_  wondering where your beau is.” Arisa lifts an eyebrow at her, swirling her drink around in it’s glass, “Is Thane alright?”

“Perfectly fine - he’ll be here in a while. I wanted to hang out with you guys first, before I get swept away for the rest of the night.”

“Sounds like a plan. Now then, let’s get some drinks going here!”

Willow snickers at the turian’s exclamation, accepting the drink that’s handed to her and sipping at it slowly, chatting and catching up with the gang while she has the chance.

She doesn’t want to get drunk, really - just wanted a place to relax, to meet up with friends and maybe share a few dances before retreating to her apartment to spend the rest of the evening in  _private_.

Thane said he would give her a signal of some sort when he arrived, and Willow can’t help glancing around every few minutes, keeping an eye out, growing more antsy as time passes - he’ll be there, she knows that, but she wants to spend as much of the evening with him as she can, make sure he has plenty of memories of her to keep him going while she’s in the coma-

A glass sliding across the bar makes her flinch, startled and confused. Before she can ask, the bartender jerks his head behind her and says “From the drell across the way.”

Willow knows without looking who it is, but her grin still goes ridiculously wide when she locks eyes with Thane across the floor - looking amused and lifting his own glass in a toast.

She reaches for the glass and purposely downs it in one long swallow -  _that same human wine he’d sent her before, sneaky man_  - before returning it and pushing away from the bar, “And that, friends, is my cue. See you on the other side.”

Arisa and Garrus snag hugs and then she’s off, sauntering across the dance floor, putting more wiggle in her step and loving the way Thane’s gaze seems to sharpen.

Knowing the game she’s supposed to be playing, Willow puts on a coy smile when she reaches him, batting her lashes and holding out her hand, “Dance with me?”

Thane smirks and rises - slow and deadly, like the predator he is - taking her hand and brushing a kiss to the back. “It would be my pleasure.” he purrs, sending a shiver down her spine, leading her out onto the dance floor.

It’s not a slow song - she doesn’t think they  _play_  slow songs, in Purgatory - and though they start out dancing  _just_  inside each other’s bubbles, as strangers might, Willow’s quickly reaching for him, grabbing his jacket and pulling him up against her with a smirk.

“Sorry, had to touch you.” she whispers, happy when his hands land on her hips, “You’re just too damn irresistible, Thane.”

“I would say the same of you, Siha.” Thane steps closer, wedging one leg between hers and making her gasp in delight at the close press of his body, “You test my control in the best of ways.”

“Really, now?” Willow hums, rolling her hips against him and laughing at the way he growls and grips her harder, “Let’s dance a while, lover - before I steal you away.”

Thane’s response is a rumble in his chest and a step backwards, tugging her after him in tune to the pounding music.

It’s not long before her heart is pounding in sync with the music, his hands on her sides making her feel flushed and slick, and his laugh is hoarse when she finally snatches his hand and tugs him off the dance floor, headed determinedly for the exit.

Were it anyone else, she might have scolded herself for her lack of control, but Thane just  _does_  it for her like no one else ever had - whether it’s the reverence in every touch or the plain fact that no matter how much he wanted her, he would never  _push_  her, that does it, she’s not sure.

All she knows is if she’s going to be in a coma for the next month, she’s needs him naked and inside of her asap.

They make it to her apartment and step inside without a word, Willow pausing a moment to turn the lights on - dimmed, leaving a sort of sleepy-atmosphere - before turning back to Thane, standing quietly in the middle of her living room.

Smiling, Willow crosses over to him and tugs at his jacket playfully, eyebrows lifted. “Take this off.”

Thane chuckles but obeys, shrugging out of the garment and discarding the vest beneath as well, leaving his chest bare. Her hands are on him almost immediately, greedily running over the smooth scales and following his stripes, curious and amazed by the wonderful differences.

When her hands ghost over the rough line of uneven scales that marks his lung transplant, she pauses, glancing up at him, “Does this hurt?”

“Not at all. The wound has long been healed, though I fear the scar it left will always be there - a mark to remind me, I suppose.”

“That surgery saved your life, Thane.” Willow bends, pressing her lips to the top of the raised line, running one hand along the length of it, “Your scar is a sign that you  _fought_ , and that’s beautiful.”

Thane sucks in a sudden breath, and she finds herself swept into a kiss - deep and passionate, a touch that leaves her clinging to him breathlessly even once he’s pulled back. That rumble is now a constant vibration in his chest, smile one of deep gratitude and affection, and he brushes his forehead against hers with a hum.

“May I undress you now, my Siha?” he breathes, speaking against her cheek, and Willow giggles and nods, feeling younger than she has in years.

Thane’s hands go to her vest, deftly undoing the buttons and pushing it from her shoulders - followed by the green top she’d had beneath. He lifts her wrist for a moment to press a kiss there - just below the bracelet he’d given her - before they wordlessly step back and shead the rest of their clothing, tossed haphazardly onto the couch.

Thane scoops her up before she has a chance to overthink, bending for another kiss and whispering “You are beautiful, Willow. Kalahira has blessed me, giving you to me - I do not deserve you, though I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy.”

“Take me to bed, Thane.” Willow whispers in return, clinging to him and knowing, truly, that they are both lucky to have each other.

 

* * *

 

 Willow wakes to Thane’s hands running over her back and through her hair, feeling delightfully stiff and sated from the night before.

They’ve slept in and she’s due at the hospital soon, so she smacks his hands away playfully and rolls out of bed, needing a shower.

A shower that takes  _much_  longer once Thane steps into the spray with her - first getting her dirty all over again before helping her wash, stealing kisses all the while.

They dry off, get dressed, and then it’s finally time to go - they walk to the hospital rather than taking transit, wanting to savor the last bit of time together, walking hand in hand and talking about things they want to do  _after_  she’s been cured.

Willow makes sure to pull him close and kiss him soundly before she’s checked in, not caring that they’re in the hospital lobby and they have an audience - she wants him to know  _exactly_  how much he means to her, even if she hasn’t been able to say the words yet.

Thane understands, going by his tight grip and the way he kisses her back, and she knows he stays in the lobby right up until she’s disappeared from sight in the back rooms, making sure she’s safe.

Mordin greets her as she enters the procedure room, nodding pleasantly. “Ah, Shepard, are you ready? We will begin the procedure immediately - will take time, yes, but it is painless! You’ll wake up feeling brand new!”

“Let’s get to it, then.” she grins, “I’ve got a lot to look forward to when I wake up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	14. Welcome Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow spends a month comatose, letting the Cure do it’s work - Thane spends it at her side, whenever he can be. After everything they’ve been through, they deserve a soft ending, surely?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever - figured before the OC’s completely eat my brain I would try to get this fic finished! Thank you so, so much for all the support on this fic guys. It means a lot. Enjoy this short, soft ending ♥

**Thane**

Time passes, as it always does, and yet where before he’d found it easy to allow the days to blur, now Thane finds himself impatiently checking the date the moment he rises each morning.

Willow’s absence is notable, like a hole in his life - and even knowing it is a temporary absence, it eats at him.

The bed is too big, the apartment is too quiet, his days are too boring and similar without her there.

_A month, Krios. You can wait a month. And then your Siha will be returned to you, whole and healthy, and you will never have to experience this emptiness again._

He visits the hospital constantly, once Willow’s been moved to a proper room and given leave to have visitors.

Sometimes he bumps into Arisa and Garrus, catching up with them, sharing quiet chatter and jokes, chuckling at some small event or other.

Sometimes Kolyat comes with him, on the days he’s not at work or out with Oriana -  _we’ve somehow unintentionally played matchmaker, Siha; you will be pleased when you awaken, I believe._

Sometimes he brings the Duct Rats with him, smiling quietly at how well they behave themselves - standing and sitting around Willow’s bed, talking to her, bringing flowers and little hand-made cards, telling her about the things they’ve seen, asking her to wake up soon.

They have plans in place; a framework of means to adopt the kids,  _all_  of them, with Garrus and Arisa already agreeing to take Meera and Case - since they’d been looking into adopting, anyways - but it needs to wait until Willow’s awake and recovered.

 _We’ll definitely need a bigger apartment_.

Most of the time, Thane goes alone. It gets to the point where the nurses recognize him and simply wave him in, signing him in without a word.

He’ll bring a book, or a datapad, and always a fresh bouquet to replace the last, toting either tea or decaf coffee. And then he’ll sit there as long as he’s able, reading aloud to his sleeping love, the soft beep of machines an almost calming backdrop.

It’s a routine that continues the entire month that Willow is comatose - looking serene in her sleep, chest rising and falling steadily with her breathing, hair slowly growing longer as she lays in bed healing.  _She’ll be wanting a haircut once she awakens, I’m sure._

As the month draws closer to the end, Thane finds himself growing impatient - hoping and praying to Kalahira that nothing has gone wrong, that there’s some unforeseen side effect keeping her asleep.

And then, as she tends to do, Willow catches him off guard.

It’s two days after she’s been taken off the machines keeping her comatose -  _she’ll need to wake up naturally, now, we just need to wait_  - when Thane absently places his hand over hers on the bed, attention on his datapad-

-only to jump when her hand  _moves_ , flipping over to grip his back.

Thane’s up from his chair in an instant, hand still clutching hers as he bends over her, heart racing. “Willow?”

There’s nothing for a moment - then her nose scrunches, brow wrinkling before her eyes blink slowly open, hazy blue staring unseeingly at the ceiling before sliding to meet his own.

Willow’s lips pull in a smile, eyes brightening at the sight of him. “Hey, Thane.”

“Siha.” Thane’s left hand finds her cheek, thumb brushing fondly over her lips - he has not cried many times in his life, but he feels as though he may break apart in relief at the feel of her breath against his skin, “Thank Kalahira. I have  _missed_  you, Willow.”

“Then c’mere.” she mumbles, using the hand she’d managed to hook around his neck to yank him down - successfully pulling him into a kiss.

Thane rumbles happily into the touch, fighting back every instinct to scoop her up and take her home  _now_ , to be done with this hospital and its beeping machines and smell of medicine.

To re-familiarize himself with every single hidden place on this beautiful woman, to ensure she knows  _just_  how much he’s missed her - but that reunion, he knows, will need to wait.

“Welcome back, Siha.” Thane says into the kiss, nuzzling her when they pull back for breath, “Welcome home.”

“It’s good to be back.” Willow whispers before pulling him into another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I've managed to wrap this up fairly nicely! Kudos and comments make my day! ♥


	15. Extra: Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Detective Shepard’s being hunted, and she can’t wait till she’s caught. AKA Willow and Thane’s second foray into Bedroom Roleplay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY SO this was posted on tumblr WAY BACK - actually in time for Valentine's Day - BUT I figured now that the Epilogue has been posted, I can post any oneshots like this here, to!
> 
> Sometime way down the line with our two love birds - and look, you get smut! Enjoy :D ♥ (I don't THINK I need to bump the rating up to E but let me know??)

She’s been on edge all day, watching the shadows and the doorways, glancing constantly at the time on her omni.

It’s not anxiety pushing her to walk faster through the sparse evening crowds of the Citadel, not fear or anger as she dodges through the brightly lit entertainment districts - currently lit up in pink and red, couples strolling languidly along.

No - it’s pure excitement that has her slipping silently into her apartment, standing motionlessly in the dark and holding her breath, listening closely.

Sirens outside the window. The usual blip of messages on her comm terminal. The barest hint of light filtering in from the crack of her bedroom door, pink and red from the celebrations outside.

Nothing out of the ordinary, yet her skin prickles, fingers finding the pistol at her hip, heart pounding as she chances a step further in.

No response, so she takes another, then another, disappointment rising the further she moves into the apartment, fingers slipping from the gun to reach for the light switch-

-realizing her mistake only when there’s a sudden scuff of boots on the tile and she’s grabbed from behind, breath coming out as a gasp when her cheek is pressed tightly to the wall - held tight but not painfully so, an arm braced at her waist like an iron band and the second crossed over her throat, the metal of his glove kissing the skin and making her shiver _-_

“You are late,  _Detective_.” he rumbles in her ear, and it takes every ounce of willpower she has not to break character, nerves on fire and instincts screaming to press back against him.

“ _Krios_.” She hisses, unable to hide the edge of a moan in her voice, choking on another breath as he presses her closer to the wall, “ _So_  sorry, you should have sent me  _notice_.”

It's a lie, a total lie, she'd known he would be here, had been very put out when he'd taken longer to show himself - but that's the game, and he chuckles roughly, now using the entire length of his body to keep her pinned.

“Where, now, would be the fun in that?” his voice is rougher than usual, dual chords out of sync - the arm around her waist tightens, knuckles curled and rubbing maddeningly over her hip, “You’ve got quite the price on your head, Detective - one would think you would learn to stop making powerful enemies.”

“Never been the type to turn down a case.” she murmurs back, hips twitching minutely - his grip on her tightens at the movement, a rolling hum building in his chest - trying to regain control of herself “Especially not the ones that  _need_  taken out.”

“So I’ve noticed.” the drell chuckles darkly, and the arm crossed over her throat curves, tracing the curve of her ear with one nail, “This is the third time I’ve been sent after you, Detective - lucky for you, your enemies do not dig far into prior contracts.”

Her heart pounds, entire focus drawn by his touch even as she quivers in his grip, loving this part of the game, “You’ve spared me before.”

“I have.” he agrees, the rumble in his chest vibrating straight through her where he’s pressed against her back, “Perhaps I could be convinced yet again.”

“And what price would you ask of me, Krios? The same as the last time - when you came with your cock halfway down my throat?” she lowers her voice to a sultry purr, rolling her body back against his, “Or… has the price gone  _up_?”

“It has indeed.” he growls, grip tightening almost painfully as he snaps his hips forwards against her, the distinct bump of his erection making her groan, “I will settle for no less than having you for myself,  _Shepard_  - and ensuring you will never want any other man.”

She doesn’t even try to hold back a moan, “Gods,  _please_.”

The drell chuckles again, lips pressing to the skin below her ear as the arm at her hips loosens, deftly undoing her trousers to slip his hand inside. He soothes his palm down her belly, and she quivers when he reaches her mound and  _stops_ , going still in surprise.

“No panties, Shepard?” he rumbles, clearly pleased by the discovery, “I think, perhaps, you were  _hoping_  for this outcome.”

Her only response is a relieved sob when he moves, thumb finding her clit as his fused fingers slip easily inside her, making her hips buck.

“Gods, Shepard,” he groans, rolling his hips against her again, “So wet - so  _ready_.”

“Please.” she whimpers, rocking desperately against his hand - she’s been wound up all day, waiting impatiently, driving herself mad wondering how far he would go with it this time - loving the feeling of his fingers but  _needing_  more, “ _Please_ , Krios.”

“I won’t be gentle.” he warns, a harsh whisper in her ear followed by a bite, teeth  _almost_  breaking the skin as he removes his fingers from her cunt, shoving her pants down to her knees.

“I can take it.” she promises, bracing both arms on the wall when he releases her throat to work at his own pants - moaning openly when the heavy weight of his length brushes against her inner thigh, “ _Come on_ , Krios -  _fuck me_.”

“As you wish.” he rasps, his hands closing on her hips the only warning she gets before he’s inside her, slamming home with one hard thrust.

Willow cries out in startled pleasure, pressing back against him when he pauses there, overwhelmed by the feel of him throbbing, buried deep inside her. They’ve had some ‘rough’ nights before, but never quite like this, and she  _loves_  the thrill of it, the way he’s clinging tight to his control even as he pushes her.

His mouth is on her neck again as he starts to move, sucking and biting, marking her as drives in and out of her - no more pause or build up, an incessant assault on her senses, winding the pleasure higher and higher.

She’s been so wound up and excited all day that her crest builds quickly, and she’s babbling as it nears, not even caring if she’s breaking character because it’s too good,  _he’s too good_ , “Oh Gods  _Thane_  I’m close, I’m  _so close_ , love,  _fuck_ , I can’t-”

“Me neither, Siha.” Thane’s voice is a hiss against her throat, his movements growing rougher, grip tightening on her hips, “Don’t fight it, just fall, I want to see you-”

He slips a hand down to play at her clit again and she’s gone, screaming as she comes, leaning heavily against the wall as her cunt clenches around him, dragging him down with her.

“Oh, Kalahira,  _Willow_!” Thane shouts, burying himself one last time before letting go, the familiar rush of his release inside of her making Willow sigh in bliss.

She feels sated and sleepy, content to curl up on the ground and drift off, murmuring quietly when he slips out of her and steps momentarily away.

With the game finished, Thane is once more all tenderness and affection, helping her step completely out of her pants and pressing a quick kiss to the back of her knee, making her laugh. He sheds his clothes as she shrugs out of her uniform top, glad she had also foregone a bra when Thane’s gaze is drawn immediately by her bare breasts.

“Like what you see,  _Krios_?” Willow teases, rolling her shoulders back to push her chest further out, leaning back against the wall for support.

“I love what I see, for it is my Siha; nothing could ever be more beautiful.” Thane says, stepping close to wrap his arms around her and pull her against him, a note of concern in his voice “I was not too rough?”

“Not at all, you were  _perfect_.” Willow hooks a hand behind his neck, pulling him down into a lazy kiss - a touch filled with familiar affection and desire, love and longing, “Thank you for indulging my silly fantasies.”

“I rather enjoyed it; thank you for  _trusting_  me with such private things.” Thane steals one more kiss before scooping her up, smirking at her surprised squeak and carrying her towards the bedroom, “The night is not quite over yet, my Siha; I wanted to celebrate this  _Valentine’s Day_  of yours as best we could.”

“You mean I’m getting  _more_  than awesome sex? I am  _spoiled_.”

Thane only chuckles, “You deserve it.”

Willow opens her mouth to argue, pausing when they enter the bedroom and  _staring_  at what awaits her.

Turns out the pink and red lights  _hadn’t_  been from outside, but from flameless candles placed on the nightstands and dresser; a bottle of wine sat chilling in an ice bucket on one of the tables, a covered platter of food beside it-

-and there were honest to God  _rose petals_  scattered all over the room, including the bed, vibrant red, with a bouquet of full roses sitting in a vase on the desk.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my Siha.” Thane rumbles above her head, nuzzling her hair, “I hope this is alright?”

Willow can hear the note of uncertainty in his voice, and she turns and yanks his head down to kiss him again, a deep touch that leaves them both gasping and breathless when they finally break apart.

“Fuck, Thane, how are you  _real_?” she whispers, running a hand over the ridge of his cheek, feeling ridiculously emotional, “This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me - Gods, I love you, Thane.”

“I aim only to please, my love.” Thane purrs in return, stepping closer to the bed, “We have time - shall we eat? I imagine you’re starving-”

“Later. After you make love to me again.” Willow latches onto him when he tries to set her down, pulling him on top of her with an open grin, “ _Slowly_ , this time, so I can actually  _touch_  you.”

“As you wish.” Thane kisses her again, body pressing hers down into the mattress, and Willow’s brain manages one last hazy thought before it succumbs to pleasure.

_Best fucking Valentine’s Day ever._


End file.
